Half Sick of Shadows
by Unlaced
Summary: Link discovers Midna's intention on destroying the Mirror of Twilight, and she keeps the mirror intact due to strange circumstances. "Light and shadow can never mix," said her mother once. Whether that stops them or not is still questionable. Link/Midna.
1. Putting the Damage On

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_And this little masochist,  
She's ready to confess._

Chapter One  
_Putting The Damage On_

"You need to rest, Midna."

The Twili scowled at the Hyrulean Princess – she had been hearing that too many damn times in the span of only a few hours. She felt Zelda's stare upon her; both stern and undeniably concerned at the same time. She knew more than anyone that Zelda meant well, and that she was only worried – Midna had just recovered from the curse and returned to her natural form, and expressed randomly and quietly to herself that she was feeling a little odd – which, of course, gained worried stares from Zelda _and_ Link, which was even worse. She tried to elaborate that she didn't feel ill or faint, but it was probably due to being an imp for so damn long.

Of course, they wouldn't listen. She wanted to shove a sock down _both_ their throats to shut them up – but right now, that aggression was mostly geared towards Zelda. Link was behind closed doors and they allowed the Hero to have his privacy while he bathed and cleansed himself; he was weary and absolutely exhausted, and Midna was the first to point out that he absolutely _reeked_.

Zelda and Midna had nothing else better to do. Both were exhausted as well. They had located themselves to the only part of the castle that survived – which was still a big space, and there was still much in tact. Zelda was silently thankful that whoever constructed Hyrule Castle made it absolutely gargantuan; otherwise, they'd be stranded in the middle of Castle Town with frantic bystanders. They had a few surviving bedrooms and other miscellaneous rooms that survived, and they just had to make due.

Both of them sat across from each other. There was an small round table set up between them with hot tea, and Zelda still continued to stare at Midna in worry.

"Sheesh, I _know_. It's not like I'm lugging around giant boulders on my back. I'm sitting down. Plus, you've been nagging since we've gotten back from battle. Which was a little over _two hours ago_," Midna spat in annoyance, her irritation only growing as she watched Zelda sip her tea cup calmly. "Besides, you've _already_ convinced me to halt my journey back to the Mirror Chamber until the day after tomorrow. So, shut up." The Twilight Princess huffed, and Zelda rolled her pretty blue eyes and let out a defeated sigh.

It was certainly a challenge to convince Midna to stay the extra day. The battle – the final battle – had left them all weary and drained, both mentally and physically, despite Midna and Link's efforts to claim otherwise. Zelda knew it was only for the best to wait a day and naturally recuperate before doing anything else. Midna, however, excited to actually have had the curse _broken_ and free from her imp prison was eager to return to the Twilight Realm almost to the point of over-stress.

Zelda understood Midna's worry over her realm. Both of them bore the burden of being the leaders of Kingdoms that have fallen, and are in need of heavy reconstruction, but Zelda was also extremely convinced that Midna would do her people no good if she returned frazzled and weak.

Link was easier to persuade, and once he was persuaded, he was the one that helped Zelda convince Midna. And it worked.

Very reluctantly, however.

"He's a very quiet fellow around other people," spoke Zelda quietly after taking another sip of her tea. She had long already sensed Midna's tension and anxiety, and was making a slow attempt to ease her nerves with small talk.

Midna shrugged. "I guess." Her red eyes fell upon the closed doors, and her sensitive ears could just barely pick up the faint trickle of bath water. "He sure as hell can talk up a storm sometimes. You'd be surprised."

"Only to you, really," Zelda replied with a gentle chuckle. Midna raised her eyebrow. "Do not be so surprised. We were, at one point, one for some time, Midna. I was able to see glimpses of your journey together through your eyes."

There was a snort. "Yes, I do recall. Try not to remind me. Knowing that makes being around you _weird_."

"It was some sort of necessary, ah, evil, I suppose," Zelda explained and shrugged her shoulders. Midna flashed her a smirk and Zelda returned it with a small smile. She knew all too well it was the Twili's own unique way of expressing gratitude.

"Anyway," continued Midna. "He'll warm up to you. He's a little shy, you can say."

The Hyrulean Princess turned to glance at the closed doors before looking back at Midna. "He's rather…attached to you, I've observed. He reminds me of a loyal pup, following his master – or, in your case, _mistress_ - around, anywhere and everywhere."

There was a high pitched _hee hee!_ "Yeah, you can probably say I trained the mutt well. Took some work, though, let me tell you – he wouldn't roll over or sit when I first met him."

"You two are most…certainly the most interesting partners in all the land," Zelda whispered quietly and her peach lips formed a mirthless, melancholic smile. "But, tell me, Princess Midna. Could you really do that to him? Leave him behind?" She saw Midna's eyes begin to widen. "Don't you have any idea, any inkling, of what that would do to the poor boy?"

The Princess of Twilight stiffened in her chair. Her muscles tensed and her wide, surprised eyes began to slowly slant into a dangerous glare. "Be quiet, _Princess_."

"Are you going to _tell_ him?"

"That's _none_ of your business," Midna spat defensively. She rose to her feet. "Is this why you so _dared_ stalled my journey to the Mirror Chamber? To guilt me? You have no right, _Princess_."

Zelda's eyes narrowed at her accusation and she also rose from her chair. "No. I am simply giving you a chance to be honest with him, and to _talk_ about this insane decision! It's so hastily decided and you've barely given it any thought, Midna. We _all_ need to talk about this, and even if the decision remains the same, he has the _right to know_!"

Midna started to take a defensive stance and snarl, balling her petite hands into small fists. "This is not your decision to make."

"And this is not something you can neglect to tell him," Zelda pressed, her brunette brows furrowing. "He would _want_ to know."

Midna let out a frustrated sigh, cracking her fingers simply just by restlessly flexing them. "I'll tell him." Zelda looked at her suspiciously and frowned. Midna scowled at her. "On my _own_ time. Not when you tell me to."

"On your own time?" Zelda whispered and sighed, shaking her head. "You barely have enough of that time left, Midna."

They heard the door click and both princesses looked startled – and almost a little frightened – as the door opened and revealed their Hero, with dirty blond hair dripping and with cleaner skin, but still dressed in the tattered clothes of the Hero before him. "Hey…who wants to go in next?" he asked, smiling a little.

He had not heard a thing.

* * *

Night had fallen quickly, and they had each taken up a random vacant room to spend the night. Zelda was the first to say her good nights as she gave them a tired smile. And Link, well, he was _supposed_ to go to bed, and he tried to. It had been a damn long time he actually slept in an actual _bed_ and strangely enough, it was almost kind of uncomfortable. He was used to sleeping on something hard or wet or against a tree, and there was usually a tiny little imp nestled into his side each night for warmth.

For Midna at that time to actually do something like _that_ took time – she wasn't too fond of Link upon their first meeting and slept completely separate. But risking your life together and getting into random shenanigans was something that somehow formed an incredibly strong bond, and the next thing they knew, they slept together and shared food and smacked each other around as if it were the most normal thing ever.

Maybe that's why it was weird.

It might not be the bed. It just might be the fact that something was missing from this routine. No matter where he slept, there was always one thing that stayed constant – the little imp that would warm his side with her body.

He knew upon meeting her that the imp shell she inhabited was _not_ her true form, and he often wondered just what her true form _was_. She clarified, with much passion, that she looked _nothing_ like the shadow beasts they had often slaughtered, but other than that, she never revealed any explicit details. She once told him that it would be a surprise and winked. A surprise, that is, if he was ever _around_ to even see her in her true form.

But when he started running up to the little clump of darkness that appeared on the grassy hill, he had began running as fast as his legs could take him, and he somehow never noticed that the clump of darkness he had been so used to being next to somehow…changed.

It was a pleasant change, to say the least.

But most importantly, she was _alive_. And he wanted to yell at her for pulling something so stupid like that with the Fused Shadows, but he didn't get the chance when she stood up; taller than she had ever been, and looked at him in her true state.

Which reminded him, _I really do need to yell at her for the Fused Shadow stunt._

He didn't know if Midna was even awake, but it wouldn't hurt to investigate. He slipped out of the covers and pulled the tunic on. He had removed most of the dirt and grime for the most part, and it didn't smell _that_ bad, so he thought it was perfectly okay. He pulled on his green cap and exited his temporary chambers quietly, shutting the door behind him.

Midna had chosen the room across from him so his journey was cut short. He shuffled in front of the door almost nervously and quietly knocked on it, hoping she was awake. But the knocking yielded no results, so he knocked a little louder. Hopefully, if he _did_ wake her up, she would show him mercy and not scream her lungs out at him – she was always the cranky girl when waking up.

But there was still no response. Link frowned and wrinkled his nose. "Midna?" he said in a loud whisper. He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

The room was empty. The bed laid untouched. He scanned the room, his heart picking up speed in its pace, and he called out her name once more.

"Midna?"

Nothing.

_Shit,_ he thought to himself as he scowled. _Where is she?_

He didn't hesitate to go outside and find her. He had the idea of her maybe, just maybe, going off to the Gerudo Desert by herself – which she would do. He wouldn't be surprised. He would be pissed beyond belief and worried, but she _would_ do it, especially with how she really wanted to leave _right_ after the battle which pricked his heart in ways he couldn't, wouldn't, understand.

He grabbed the nearest familiar planet and whistled into the reed; the song that summoned Epona filled the air with an eerie wind and she four-legged wonder arrived almost like she ran into existence.

"C'mon, girl," Link grunted as he mounted her. "We're going to find Midna."

"Um…why?"

Link let out a startled yelp and pulled the reins on Epona, turning his mare around; and he came face to face with a befuddled Twilight Princess, cloaked in fabric that looked like it was woven with shadows itself. She raised an eyebrow at him, and Link's expression went from shocked to deliriously happy.

"You're still here!"

Midna rolled her eyes. "Is that so? I would have never guessed."

_Looks like sarcasm wasn't part of her curse._ Link made a face at her and demounted Epona. "I went to your room. You…weren't there."

She shrugged her shoulders, avoiding his stare, and occupied herself into petting Epona who gladly bent her head towards the affection. "I guess I couldn't sleep."

"Are you still feeling off?" Link frowned, his eyes drowned in worry. Midna still didn't look at him.

"Sort of," she admitted quietly and scratched the back of her hand absent mindedly. "I'm not really sure what it is. It's nothing serious. It's…just been a really long ride."

It _had_ been a really long ride. For both of them. Most of their days together – though they had some fun points – were looking after each other just in case something snuck up, battling and swinging sword and magic at _something_, and running around until everything was set back in order.

"I guess everything's still sinking in," Midna said with a sigh, slowly letting her gaze fall on Link's own eyes – they had never left her. "Anyway, you said you were looking for me. What's wrong?"

Link scratched the back of his head and looked away sheepishly, almost as if he was hiding some sort of guilt. "It's the same for me. I…can't really sleep. I almost feel like I should be camping out again."

The Princess smirked and moved closer to the green-clothed Hylian, reaching over to flick his ear gently. He let out a small sound and gave her and odd look, reaching over to cover his ear. "In that case, you're stuck with me until you fall dead asleep. I suppose you would not be opposed to taking a walk with me?"

Link patted Epona gently and clicked his tongue, letting go of the reins to let her go off on her own. She settled not too far, deciding to bathe in the light of the full moon on long grass. "Of course not."

"Good," Midna piped up. She started walking and he followed her side by side, following her lead without fault. They were moving towards the ruins and fallen rubble of the parts of the castle that had fallen, and soon they were no longer walking on grassy hills; it was dodging pieces of cement and avoiding getting their feet trapped in pools of little rocks.

"That was stupid."

"What? Look, some of us Twili don't feel the need to wear shoes, okay? My feet can _perfectly_ handle this—"

She heard Link sigh in frustration. "It's not that, Midna."

Midna raised an eyebrow and twirled around to face him. His blue eyes were narrowed and he looked like the beast he often took form in for a bit. Hunting. Preying. She waited for him to say something, to give her a clue as to what he was referring to, exactly, but they continued to stare each other down; Midna looked confused and skeptical, and Link looked hard and cold like a stone.

Silence filled the space in between them, and Midna broke it by sighing heavily. She plopped herself down on one of the castle's fallen columns and crossed her legs; something her skirt made no effort to exactly conceal.

"Speak, Hero, or forever hold your peace."

"Did you die?"

Midna blinked. "What?"

"When Zelda returned to normal," Link began to explain; flashes of memories coming back to both of them. His expression remained the same, and Midna's expression was beginning to mirror his. "And Ganon still didn't die. You—and the Fused Shadows—you made us leave. You warped us out of there."

"…oh." Was that what was bothering him? Midna bit her lip, recalling the events as best as she could – at this point, they all almost seemed like a blur. Zelda was back to normal and she was grateful for her assistance, and Link survived the first battle. But when Ganon once again rose, and his eyes – she could tell – his eyes _thirsted_ for Link and Zelda, she couldn't help herself. They both had helped her so much…

She had to do _something_.

"Did you die?" Link repeated.

"Does it matter?" The princess snorted, and his eyes narrowed further. "I'm alive now, aren't I? Sheesh, mutt, calm down. It probably wasn't the _smartest_ move, but, hey, look at me now!"

"So, you died," Link concluded. The hard look he had was beginning to melt away, and Midna felt like she had metaphorically kicked a puppy.

Midna let out a small groan and patted an empty spot next to her. "Come over." Link looked hesitant, the hard, cold look diminishing even more, and she glared at him. "_Link_," Midna grumbled in a warning tone.

She could have sworn she saw his pointed ears lower, but it might have been a trick of the moonlight. He walked over and flopped down next to her as if he had been standing for centuries, holding his head into his hands.

"I killed him for you, you know."

"Mm?"

Link grumbled something incoherent under his breath and rubbed his face vigorously with his hands. "I killed him for you. I couldn't let the bastard run amuck when he _killed you_. I wasn't even thinking of Hyrule. I wasn't even thinking of Princess Zelda, and she was _right behind me_."

There was a long silence between them. Link didn't look at her and Midna didn't look at him; they acted like the ruins of Hyrule's castle were the most captivating, mesmerizing thing at the moment. The Twili tried to keep her face straight; nonchalant and apathetic, and it was working, but she didn't even want to look at Link's face.

She wasn't sure what exactly brought this up, or what his words meant, or if they had _any_ meaning. And she wasn't even sure if he knew what he was babbling about, either. He was worried, though, and the thought of her killed by Ganon's hands broke him more than either of them would have liked to admit.

Uncertainty of what to say continued to boost the silence. But they remained next to each other, and Link was the one that moved closer and relaxed his head onto her shoulder – a gesture which did not surprise, nor fluster Midna, whatsoever. Their journey had brought them close to the level of being just plain physically comfortable with each other – no matter what form she was in. Imp, or woman.

They remained like that for several moments, before Link finally spoke up, traces of drowsiness evident in his quiet voice. "It's finally over, huh?"

"Yes."

Whatever that meant for their friendship, they weren't entirely sure.

Midna turned her head, her face coming in contact with the green fabric that was his hat. She snorted softly and clutched the cap with her fingers, pulling it from his head. His dirty blonde hair was unruly and messy – he hadn't combed it after his bath, clearly. She pressed her lips against the top of his head.

"You sound tired."

"I know." She felt him shrug against her.

"I think it's time for the Hero's bed time," Midna teased gently. Link squirmed against her and huffed, straightening himself up and glaring up at her.

"Maybe," he grumbled.

The princess rolled her eyes. "Grouch."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes sleepily with his fists, suppressing a yawn. "Let's go, okay? It's getting late. And _you're_ supposed to be resting up, too. You're just as tired as I am, I bet." He rose to his feet and brought him her with the link of their hands. He stumbled a little amongst the rubble, but once he awoke from his drowsy spell a little more, he started to carefully pull them out of the wreck; the princess' hand still enveloped in his own.

"I can't remember the last time we slept separately," he heard her muse casually from behind. He almost froze to look behind him, but resisted, and continued walking. "I remember being small enough to use your silly hat as a blanket."

"It's not silly."

"But it makes a good blanket."

"Too bad you can't do that anymore." Link sighed, a sad smile playing onto his lips. "I'm gonna miss it--_ah_!"

He wasn't really sure what the _fuck_ happened. First, he was holding Midna's hand and taking her to the only part of the castle that remained, walking on _two_ legs, mind you – and the next thing he knew he was on all fours, his nose was really sensitive, and Midna was on her rump _laughing_.

_A warning would have been nice—but what the hell, Midna?!_ The Sacred Beast let out a low growl at the amused princess. To anyone else, they may have pissed themselves right then and there, but Midna knew it was non-threatening.

She couldn't, or wouldn't, answer, and remained on the grass in her fit of giggle. He still growled, and then pounced on her unexpectedly and knocked her onto her back with a bit of an _oof_! He hovered over her, annoyed, and she just had the most mischievous little grin on her face once the giggles resided.

"What? You want to sleep with me tonight, don't you?" She saw his ear twitch. "Well, I'm a respectable woman, Link. Can't have a grown man in my bed, can I? Plus, while your hat made an exquisite blanket, dear," she continued and flicked his nose, "you in this form make an _exquisite_ pillow. Understood?"

The wolf pinning her cocked his head to the side. _You're such a pain._

"Get over it."

The wolf snorted in her face, and in retaliation, he began to vehemently lick her face and blatantly drool all over her – which, in the long run, made Midna incredibly hostile and grossed out.

Revenge was nice.


	2. How To Break A Heart

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_How do I save you from a fate so sweet,  
As being torn to pieces by a loving hand?_

Chapter Two  
_How To Break A Heart_

They made it back to his bedroom – only because it was closer and neither of them felt like walking a whole 'nother set of three steps to _her_ bedroom – with Link in beast-form still in tow. Midna closed the door after they entered, and immediately lit the nearest candles with a small fire spell.

Link looked up at her quizzically, his tail wagging from side to side.

"I need to see, you idiot," she growled at him and smacked him with a pillow. He let out a muffled bark. "I'm not setting the mood or anything. Who would when you're in _that_ form? Isn't that against the law or something?"

Link rolled his eyes. She stuck her tongue out at him.

There wasn't anything she could really change into – neither of them had the time to find any extra clothing, not even Princess Zelda. Midna simply removed the excess accessories; the head dress and the veil, in particular, and set them aside. Link wasn't sure if he should turn his head to allow her some privacy, but she didn't huff at him and yell at him for being around, so he hesitantly approached the bed and hopped onto it. He circled on it a little, pawing and sniffing, before settling down beside Midna comfortably.

Midna pulled her legs onto the bed and looked down at the wolf next to her. It was somewhat amusing, she mentally noted, how intimidating and lethal he could be as a beast, but right now he had both paws under his chin and his big blue eyes were staring right up at her like an admiring pup; his tail wagging and thwapping the bed every now and then.

She giggled a little and shifted around in the bed, finding a comfortable spot for herself, and laid down to nestle her head on Link's mid-section but fairly close to his head. "Yep, still a good pillow."

_Gee, glad you're comfortable._

"You better be," Midna huffed and raised an eyebrow at him. He remained nonchalant, not intimidated in any way, and nudged his head closer to lick her nose. The princess squinted her eyes shut and made a face in slight disgust. "Dog breath. Go to sleep, fleabag."

* * *

Link wasn't sure if he liked sleeping in his beast form sometimes. It was a lot easier to get comfortable, but his heightened awareness often jarred him to sleep, and any cricket chirping outside almost had the ability to work him up and attack. He figured it might still be the slight paranoia of encountering something that went bump in the night, especially with all the times they were forced to sleep outside and had almost been ambushed.

But one thing that often woke him up unpleasantly was Midna's constant movement and murmuring. She was usually the type to stay still in her sleep – she barely snored, and in her imp form, was content to curl up into a ball and slumber completely still. He wasn't sure if the changes of form had something to do with it, but she was acting as if she was having some sort of dream. He tried to wake her up multiple times in concern by nudging her with his wet nose, but she swatted at him and kept compulsively scratching her hand.

Eventually, he gave up, and decided to pester her about it in the morning. He closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

Waking up, however, was somewhat different.

He woke up with two legs instead of four, clothed in his Hero's clothing, with blankets tangled up and a weight on his chest. His blue eyes opened groggily, but once he registered the light of the sun streaming into the bedroom, he squinted his eyes a little before opening his eyes big and wide.

_Uh, what?_ was his first thought. He barely moved. He didn't dare – Midna was comfortably nestled next to him, her head resting on top of his chest and her arm draped around his waist in laze. He wasn't sure _how_ he became human again in the middle of the night – maybe she woke up and changed him back?

_Whatever_, he thought to himself and rubbed his eyes a little with one hand. He had one arm wrapped around Midna's sleeping form, and he was very tempted just to go back to sleep at this rate.

Midna stirred a little in her sleep. Her legs shifted, stretching out a little, before curling back in, and she sleepily buried her nose into the cloth of his worn tunic. The hand draped around his waist pulled back a little, and she brought it up closer to her face to clutch his clothing. He was almost certain she was awake, and stayed perfectly still to observe her, but her eyes didn't flutter open nor did she say anything.

He assumed he was trapped until she woke up.

Link sighed, and then smirked to himself, rubbing his forehead. Not that he exactly _minded_, but, man, could his companion be really weird sometimes.

He looked down at his chest at the tangle of long red hair sprawled about, and then he noticed something that had him swell up with bizarre concern – it was her hand.

"What did you…do?" he whispered to himself. The back of her hand – the hand that was clutching what he was wearing like a blanket – was puffed up, and a tinge of redness surrounded it even against her pale blue skin. He vaguely remembered her scratching at it in the middle of the night. _Did she get a rash?_ He reached over to gingerly untangle her fingers from the front of his tunic and he brought her hand closer to examine. "Weird," he mumbled to himself, examining the rise of welts left behind from all the scratching.

"Link. Stop talking to yourself."

Any other day her voice would surprise him, but Link just blinked when he heard her. Her voice sounded thick of sleep, and she still seemed utterly exhausted. She squirmed against his side and pulled her hand back obliviously. He watched her eyes blink open, and then grimace at the amount of sunlight invading through the windows.

"How come I'm not a wolf?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Midna grumbled crankily and hid her face into his chest, avoiding the brightness of the light. "Because I think you've got fleas."

"…I have--_what_?"

"Fleas, you idiot." She grumbled and raised her head, giving him a weak glare. She started to sit up and flatten the mess of bed hair she currently fashioned. "I was itching all night."

Link looked somewhat alarmed and sat up once she was up, checking out his tunic and skin for any traces of little black parasites crawling about. "I noticed – your hand looks horrible. But what the heck, Midna? _Fleas_? I'm not itching or anything!"

"Whatever," she mumbled and rubbed her eyes. "What…time is it?" Link shrugged and laid back down, sprawling himself onto the bed once again. "You're no help."

Before she could get up and check, both of them perked up at the sound of someone gently knocking on the door. "Link? Are you awake?" It was Zelda's maternal voice from the other side of the door. She sounded worried. "Link? I—I can't find Midna. Her chamber remains untouched. I'm afraid she—"

Zelda stopped in mid-sentence, because Midna, in all her I-just-woke-up-do-not-MESS-with-me-or-my-hair turned the doorknob and opened the door, and gave the Hyrulean Princess a dangerous stare. "You're afraid I what, exactly?"

Zelda opened her mouth to speak, but the fact that Midna was found in Link's room – and looked like she had just woken up – caught her off guard. She glanced into the bedroom a little to notice Link laying down, but lifting his hand up to wave up at her from the bed lazily. They were fully clothed, she noted mentally, but now she felt embarrassed none the less, and her cheeks flushed a little.

"Forgive me if I interrupted anything—I—I apologize sincerely," Zelda quickly uttered meekly.

Link looked utterly confused and sat up, cocking his head to the side. "There's nothing to be sorry about, Princess. Don't mind her. She gets cranky every time she wakes up."

"Shut up, Link," Midna growled and glared at him over her shoulder. She then turned to face Zelda warily. "I assume if you were looking for me, you would like to discuss something with me."

Zelda nodded her head and cleared her throat. "Yes, as a matter of fact. Link, I'm afraid I'll have to bring Princess Midna with me for a bit – I would simply like to discuss with her some politics, if you do not mind. We have breakfast served down the hall in the dining room that survived; please feel free to help yourself."

Link shrugged his shoulders in response and Midna sighed. "Look, I'll see you in a bit, okay? Just let me freshen up."

"As you wish. But do not think you can avoid me, Midna." Midna's eyes narrowed, and in return, so did Zelda's. Her voice lowered to a quiet whisper. "I expect you to not avoid what you must do. I expect you to appear by the ruins promptly. Understand?"

A princess bossing another princess around was something that could potentially turn hostile – but Midna was wise enough to acknowledge the fact that this _was_ Zelda's land, and this _was_ her castle (or what was left of it), so she bit her lip and reluctantly nodded. Once Zelda departed and was out of sight, Midna closed the door with a bit of a slam.

"What was that about?" Link questioned from behind her, and judging by how clear his voice up, she assumed he was merely a few steps behind her. She didn't turn around. "You two okay?"

"Yeah," Midna lied and winced. Hearing Link's voice right after Zelda just gave her a look that could freeze _bones_ swirled an enormous amount of guilt within her, and the lingering dread of the tomorrow that would soon approach without warning. She had not given much thought to Zelda's opinion, and part of her believed that, yes, Link _would_ want to know that she was ultimately planning on completely severing the Twilight Mirror – the only way Link and Midna would ever be able to see each other again.

She was convinced it was for the best. Destroying the Mirror would prevent another mess like this from happening, and they could all return to their respective realms. It was the best for Hyrule, and it was the best for the Twilight Realm.

She just wished Link wouldn't hate her for it. She wished he would learn to understand why.

* * *

Midna found Zelda where she assumed she would be – away from what was left of her castle, and into the battlefield her and Link had faced Ganondorf until he took his final draw of breath. Princess Zelda was staring into the empty space that once held the very home she grew up in with a sad, mirthless gaze. They exchanged no words when Midna approached, taking a stand beside the other princess, and gazing into the space as well.

"I awoke before dawn broke," Zelda began quietly. "We've began plans for re-construction. Thankfully, Castle Town received minimal damage. I'm rather surprised. Thankful, but honestly surprised. I'm facing the public today, hoping to raise the morale of my people. Telling them the evil has been annihilated would make them feel safe again, instead of living in fear."

There was a small nod from Midna's behalf; the mention and talk about Zelda's people reminding her about the duties she had to resume when she returned back to her realm. Before Zant completely lost it and took over, banishing her, she hadn't been in rule over her world for long – and part of it made her feel inadequate when it came to performing the duties to her people. Hyrule had to rebuild itself, but she knew her realm had the people that were affected the most – especially those people who lost loved ones as they were turned into the shadow beasts Zant so _generously_ utilized.

"I hope you and Link would attend," Zelda continued and looked at Midna from the corner of her eye. "Although I will not force you to, but it is only for my selfish reasons. I feel like…having you two there would strengthen me somewhat, if that makes any sense."

Midna shrugged. "And if they question you about who I am, exactly? It is simple enough to introduce Link as the Hero of the Lands – him being a Light Dweller will make the people here absolutely adore him and be thankful towards him." Discussing matters like these completely removed the casual tone and slang Midna often spoke with, and it was replaced with the words of a ruler. "Are you going to tell them that it was my essence of the realm that Hyrule was veiled under? I don't think they would be so easy to understand, Princess."

This made Zelda fall into silence for a few brief moments. The sun beamed down onto the land brightly, and the warm breeze wove itself through the blades of grass and broken flowers blooming from the earth.

"No, I do not think they would understand right away," Zelda slowly agreed. "But I do believe in being honest with my people. I do believe that this realm and yours can co-exist, instead of being completely separate from each other. You know as well as I that these two realms are bound – and there is absolutely nothing neither of us can do about it, no matter how much you wish it to be otherwise."

Midna's eyes began to slightly narrow, but she did not look at Zelda. "Your persistence in trying to convince me about the Twilight Mirror is obnoxious. I hope you realize."

"You fear that another situation similar as to what happened would occur, correct?"

"Yes."

"And breaking the Twilight Mirror would eliminate any possibility of something like this ever repeating, correct?"

"Yes. That is exactly what I believe."

"And this, of course, is assuming that the Twilight Mirror is the _only_ portal that connects this world to yours."

Midna's eyes snapped from the scenery of ruins in the distance and whipped her head to face Zelda, attempting to glare – but she looked more astonished than anything. "What the hell are you exactly trying to say, Zelda?"

The Hyrulean Princess remained as calm and collected as ever. She connected eyes with Midna – blue and red staring down – and then looked away once again, slowly walking over to something that seemed to be poking out from under the ground. "The Twilight Mirror is the only _known_ connection to the worlds, yes. But I do believe in the Goddesses, and something tells me that they've created other methods of connecting the worlds, in case the Twilight Mirror had been obliterated, or held captive by another force."

Midna watched Zelda walk away from her, unsure of how to exactly react. She did have a point – there was no guarantee that the Twilight Mirror was the only connection they had. There might be something else out there – but she didn't know, and she was almost certain that Zelda didn't know either. Shattering the Twilight Mirror, in that case, _could_ be potentially redundant.

Key word being _could_.

Zelda allowed Midna her silence – she figured she might have stumped the princess there for a bit, and she hoped that she would listen to someone else's reasoning instead of just solely her own. She approached some dirty and hard in the ground and crouched down slowly. After brushing dirt and carefully pulling the remains from the ground, Zelda was holding the broken pieces of the fourth Fused Shadow – Midna's old helmet.

"You're a lousy friend," she heard Midna say behind her. The next thing she knew, the pieces of the Fused Shadow had torn themselves out of her own bare hands as if they had a mind of their own, and Zelda's eyes followed the old relics as they hovered over to their rightful owner.

The Twilight Princess did not look surprised in the least as the pieces of the Fused Shadows approached her – she was the one that summoned them, after all, and in the suspense of the air, they had assembled into one whole piece. "I can't see our worlds getting along. They haven't seen everything – they have not seen what you, Link, and I have seen throughout this journey."

"You can't just sever the connection without even _trying_, Midna," Zelda pleaded and rose to her feet, idly brushing the spots of dirt and grass that had clung to the front of her dress. "And I assume you have not told him yet, have you?"

"No. I haven't."

"_Are_ you?"

Midna snorted softly. The Fused Shadow still continued to float in front of her, and Midna stared at it as if it were its own person. "If I don't, what? Are you going to do the honors for me?"

"I would prefer not to, no," expressed Zelda. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "But if required, I would. He's your friend."

"Thank you for stating the obvious."

"And as a friend, you _should_ tell him."

"You're a broken record," Midna responded icily and held her hand underneath the idle Fused Shadow. The relic dissipated into black particles and disappeared somewhere only she would know.

* * *

Once both of the Princesses returned they stumbled upon Link, who seemed to be very satisfied with the royal breakfast he absolutely binged on. Zelda had explained to him the public meeting she was heaving in the heart of Castle Town and encouraged his attendance – but noted that he was certainly not _forced_ to attend – and politely excused herself to deal with her own private political matters. That left just the two of them to themselves – a quiet Link and a slightly agitated Twilight Princess.

"Guess this is our day off. Sort of." Link murmured and approached a window in the hall. He looked outside, seemingly transfixed by whatever was going on out there – Midna didn't pay much attention. "Is there anything you want to do before…tomorrow?"

They hadn't spoken much about her return to the Twilight Realm. He very knew that is where she belonged, where she _wanted_ to go, and there was no escaping. She was their princess, and he suspected the Twilight Realm to be in worse shape than Hyrule was. He knew more than anything that her people needed her now more than anything. Despite her expected departure, Link still expected visits – mostly him visiting her, since he would completely understand if she was too occupied with political stuff (stuff he never exactly understood, mind you) to step back into the Light Realm.

"I haven't really thought about it," Midna responded with an apathetic shrug, folding her arms over her chest and observing him from behind. "I didn't expect to be coerced into staying here for another day."

"I think it's a good idea. When was the last time we had a day to do _nothing_, Midna?" She couldn't honestly remember, and Link turned around to face her and leaned against the glass, mimicking her posture and folding his arms. "There's a lot of things you're probably going to have to do as Princess. It's not illegal that you rest up. Your people need someone rested and collected; not frazzled and all over the place like they are."

Him and Zelda were _both_ broken records. She huffed and scratched the back of her hand absent mindedly. "Yeah, yeah. I get it already. I agree. Is there anything _you_ want to do in particular, though?"

"Probably just spend time hanging around you. Who knows when I'm going to see you for an entire day?" He tried to grin at her teasingly, but for some reason it didn't come out right, and the smile came out a little sadder than he had liked to admit. "And I guess I was planning on going to Castle Town with the Princess. It looks like she could use some moral support."

His smile just made her scratch at her hand harder – which did not escape his attention, and he looked worriedly at the swelled skin. "Yeah, she was telling me about that. Not too sure about going."

"You need to stop doing that to your hand."

"What?"

"Your _hand_, Midna." He stepped over and pulled her hand away from the one that kept scratching it almost compulsively. "Are you sure you're not the one with fleas?"

Midna looked a little grossed out. "How could you say that?! Of _course_ not. Maybe I'm just allergic to the sun, or something. Or just you."

The Hero rolled his eyes and leaned back against the glass – but he still had her hand, so that made him pull her closer. He still had the hand that seemed to itch her for whatever reason, and he fished through his tunic until his hand found a pouch. He rummaged through it and pulled out some random bandages that had been there; he usually had potions for wounds, but he wasn't sure how to exactly relieve a really itchy hand and he doubted potions were good for that type of thing.

Midna sighed but made no attempt to pull her hand back. She glared at him dully. "What are you doing?"

"Putting something in the way of your scratching." Link stated as a matter-of-fact, and wrapped the white bandage around her hand quickly but gently. "It's beginning to look less than healthy and at this point, you might start drawing blood."

"You're so annoying," Midna muttered, but still made no attempt to pull her hand away. She let him finish and Link just gave her a questioning look – completely assured that, no, she did not find him annoying despite her words. She wiggled her fingers once he finished.

He asked her if she ate anything, and she replied she just wasn't hungry. Trying to convince her to eat an apple or something light didn't go to well, so Link just dropped the food situation entirely, and both of them just decided to take a walk outside – they weren't sure if they would be able to do something 'fun' or anything. They could go through Castle Town, but Midna didn't feel like having attention drawn to her and Link just didn't feel like being around a gigantic crowd of people – he would have to deal with them when he went with Princess Zelda for her speech, anyway.

"So, what _are_ you going to do once your life turns back to normal?" Midna prodded him questioningly, and he blinked at her quizzically before looking back ahead of them as they walked to nowhere, thinking about that a little.

"Have to bring the kids back to Ordon," Link started listing off the top of his head. He scratched his cheek in thought, and then pointed to the hilt of the Master Sword sheathed on his back. "Return _that_ to the Sacred Grove." He paused to think again.

"After that…I don't really know. Maybe I'll go visit you for a bit."

Midna stopped walking. Link stopped in his tracks too and gulped nervously. Did he say something wrong?

"Unless you don't want me to…?" Link asked quietly, looking at her perplexed.

He wasn't sure how to describe the look Midna had – and he was damn well very able to read her instantly almost every time. Her expressions weren't that different when she was in this humanoid form, but for some reason he couldn't really pinpoint any thought or emotion in the way she was looking at him.

"Midna?"

"It's not that."

Link frowned, and Midna looked away.

"Then? Are we supposed to not see each other again after all this?"

"Wouldn't it be easier?"

Link's stare hardened. "What are you trying to say, Midna?"

Midna reached to pinch the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. She could feel a headache coming on. A bad one. "You had a perfectly normal life before this ever happened. Why mingle with people from another world? Wouldn't that get complicated?"

"Cut the vagueness, Midna."

Midna wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him. She really wasn't sure, and she definitely did _not_ want him to know when she _wasn't_ sure. When she opened her eyes she noticed that he kept staring at her – or, at this point, _glaring_, and it did not bode well with Midna.

She glared back.

"These worlds are separate. I'm just trying to protect mine. You should do the same."

The wind's blow was an anonymous response. They continued glaring at each other, neither of them unwavering, and Link couldn't help but sense the dreaded feeling of betrayal twist and tear in the pits of his stomach.

"When did you decide this?"

"Excuse me?"

"That these worlds need to be separated," Link said. Anger was seeping into his voice. It was a veil for hurt he didn't want her to see. "We would never be able to see each other again. Are you okay with that?"

There was a slight feral snarl from Midna's behalf and she shook her head. "Of _course_ not, you idiot! But this isn't about you or me and what we went through! This is about keeping the peace in _both_ worlds. If my people found a Light Dweller in their world, you better be damn well assured that they're not going to take lightly to that. And if the Twili suddenly decided to, oh, I don't know, go _shopping_ as _tourists_ in Castle Town, don't you think the people of Hyrule might get a bit paranoid? They're used to Zoras and Gorons – not the people that were banished by the Goddesses."

"You don't know that," Link said quietly, watching her with the eyes of the beast.

"And you do?" Midna spat out. "I can't take the chance of something like this happening again, to either world. _Gods_, what is it with Zelda and you not _getting it_?"

A spark of realization showed in his eyes. "Princess Zelda knows…?"

"Only because she and I were one once. Not because I decided to have girl talk with her and blurted it out."

"So, you're going to kill our friendship."

He didn't sound angry when he spoke - on the contrary, he sounded a little defeated, and he tried to keep a straight glare at her. He really did.

Midna said nothing. Link wasn't entirely sure why his heart felt like it broke right then and there.


	3. The Wake of Your Smile

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_I know there's something in the wake of your smile.  
I get a notion from the look in your eyes.  
You've built a love, but that love falls apart.  
Your little piece of heaven turns too dark._

Chapter Three  
_The Wake of Your Smile_

It took Zelda only a few moments to piece in together and imagine just what exactly happened between the Twilight Princess and the Chosen Hero. It was Link whom arrived, barging through the doors with an indescribable look to his face. He noticed Zelda, respectively bowed, but other than that, he silently approached his temporary chambers and locked himself inside. It confused her, until Midna came into the building with a frozen mask of indifference. That's when Zelda pieced the puzzle pieces together.

_He knows._

"I'm sorry," was all she whispered to the Twili, a new feeling of guilt clawing at her heart. Zelda had to admit that she forgot that, sometimes, honesty really could yield heart-wrenching reactions, despite the intentions behind them.

Midna's shoulders shrugged in response. She pulled her dark hood over her head a little more and glanced at Link's doors, and then looked back at Zelda; dread written all over the Hyrulean's princess' face. "You were right," the Twili murmured, her face devoid of any broken emotion.

"Pardon?" Zelda whispered.

"He had the right to know." Her shoulders shrugged again and she started to walk down the hall, towards the chamber she called hers for one more night. "He's going with you to face the people of Hyrule later on today. I'm not."

Zelda bit her lip and nodded slowly, watching Midna with melancholic eyes. "Midna, I'm—"

"You're sorry. I heard you the first time." She stopped before the doors and put her hand on the doorknob. She hesitated in opening the door. "Although, it's kind of silly. You have nothing to be sorry for. You just wanted me to suck it up and be honest with him. You were right. I should have nipped it in the bud sooner, instead of giving him the hope that he would visit me."

Zelda's heart sunk. "Your decision to shatter the mirror remains?"

Midna turned her head to the Light Princess, and the corner of her lips quirked into a bittersweet smirk. "This just makes it easier."

The Princess of Twilight opened the door and sealed it shut once she entered, leaving a crestfallen Zelda behind. Her eyes traveled from Midna's doors to Link's, back and forth, for several moments.

She did fully agree that Link had every right to know. He deserved to know. He had done so much for the Twilight Realm and its' ruler that the least she could do was be honest with him from the start, despite how difficult the situation was. It had to be done.

But the rotten feeling that clutched her chest refused to leave, and continued to fester in guilt.

* * *

Moping in a bedroom that wasn't even hers wasn't Midna's ideal way to pass time, let alone spend the last day she had in the Light Realm. She would rather be out, doing _something_, but instead she remained where she was; sitting by the large windows and hiding away from the streaming sunlight, blending into what she knew best – the shadows.

She couldn't bring herself to step even a foot outside of the bedroom, no matter how much her stomach quietly rumbled. She wasn't sure how her body could focus on food right now when the rest of her felt absolutely _wrong_, and even though in the end she had ultimately agreed with Zelda's advice in being honest with Link about her intentions, she still couldn't rip the feeling that she betrayed her best friend out of her chest. The way he looked at her as if she were some sort of monster hurt her more than she liked to admit, and the sad, defeated look in his eyes made it so much worse.

_So much worse._

She wasn't sure how tomorrow morning would proceed. Would he still want to escort her back to the chamber? Part of her hoped so, and the other part was screaming about what a _stupid_ hope that was to hold on to. It would make everything harder than it was, and Midna was supposed to _stick_ with her decision. Attachment was one thing Midna would never, ever expect to be cursed with in these lands – she thought going home would be the easiest thing she could ever do.

Right now, it was the hardest.

She heard things from outside her doors – she heard Link's monotone voice exchanging words with the Princess. She heard the clanking of metals from the guards that would escort the two to the center of Castle Town, where they would speak to the people and encourage rebirth of their land. And it made her wonder about her own people, and how _they_ were fairing, and if they were wondering about her – if she was alive, or if she abandoned them. _Something_.

From her window she could see the Princess and the Hero exiting the building and approaching the walls of the Town. They were side by side, looking like they had just popped out of a fairytale – the princess with her knight in shining armor after the Big Bad Guy was destroyed and the princess was, once again, safe. In the fairy tale they would immediately fall in love after the battle and rule the kingdom together.

_Or some crap like that._

But she couldn't help but admit that they _did_ look good together. They looked _right_. They were both birthed in the land of the light, a race favored by the Goddesses – if they saw someone tall and blue with intricate markings glowing in her skin next to the Hero, it would look off. And she knew that in the eyes of everyone else, it would look _wrong_. That's now how the story would end.

Midna let out a sigh and pressed her forehead against the window's glass, closing her eyes.

_This is just a phase,_ she thought to herself. _This is stupid. Go back home. Take back your throne. This was the entire purpose of the journey._

When her eyes slowly fluttered open, Link and Zelda were no longer visible from her view. She sighed again and pushed herself away from the window, bringing her fingers to her bandaged hand and scratching. She wasn't sure what was up with the spontaneous itch – but it had grown to be irritating. She assumed her body just wasn't used to this world like her imp form was, and figured it might be some stupid allergic reaction to _something_.

Regardless, the bandages Link had put on her were even more annoying. The texture was rubbing up against her skin and making it even _itchier_. Midna sighed irritably, and began to unwrap the white bandages off her hand.

When they were off, she looked at her hand for several moments blankly. After a moment passed and she said nothing, she quickly re-bandaged her hand and got up to open the chamber doors.

* * *

"I think that went well," Princess Zelda breathed out with a relieved sigh after her speech to her people. It was a rather astonishing turn out – there were Hylians and Zoras and Gorons, all willing to participate in the rebuilding of Hyrule, from the castle itself to parts of Death Mountain, Lake Hylia, and the domain of the Zoras. Link was introduced as the Hero responsible for restoring light to the lands, and was greeted with much admiration – something that would usually make him blush. Instead he just faintly smiled and stayed quiet, but never leaving the Hyrulean Princess' side.

Zelda had made mention of the Princess that fought alongside Link to restore both her kingdom and this one, but did not reveal a name – which stirred the curiosity of her audience. She did not elaborate, and the people of Hyrule did not question her too much about it. The only people who knew Midna's name were Link, herself, a handful of the guards that faithfully guarded her despite these troubled times, and the surviving members of the Royal Council, who were first wary about Midna. Mostly her appearance and race, but did not question Zelda's protective nature towards her – they were aware of Midna's involvement in restoring Hyrule back to the Light, and were nevertheless grateful, even if they chose to avoid her the majority of the time.

Link was quiet during their walk, speaking only when necessary.

"I must thank you once again for being present," she expressed softly, staring ahead. "It was very kind of you. I'm sure the attention made you a bit uncomfortable, however."

He shrugged. "It's okay."

There was silence again.

"She finally told you, didn't she?"

Silence followed Zelda's question. Link twitched a little and the reference to Midna, and he tried to keep his face expressionless. He hoped it worked. He nodded in response.

Zelda sighed quietly. "She's convinced by destroying the mirror, she's keeping her people and us safe. And I do understand that stance. I understand her responsibility to her people. But I cannot help but think these worlds overlapped for a reason. I believe it would bring bigger catastrophe if the connection between this world and hers was permanently severed."

Link said nothing. He listened closely to her words, however, and replayed them over and over in his head, and he could see the reason behind Midna's thinking.

In theory, of course.

But he agreed with Zelda. Breaking the mirror would be a _huge_ mistake. But he found himself disagreeing with her for completely different reasons – selfish reasons.

"I also think it breaks her heart, more than she'd like to admit, to even think about destroying the only known connection she would have to this world," Zelda continued softly. "She's grown attached. More than she would ever care to admit, as well. She's grown attach to you, especially. I must say, the bond between you two is impressive."

She eyed him from the corner of her eye, and she saw his expression change almost instantly at the mention of their connection. He looked pitiful. _Like a kicked pup._

"She's the closest friend I have," Link admitted, his brows furrowing slightly. "I've known others longer, but I've only been through these things with her. I don't want her to go. It wouldn't be the same."

He resembled a broken little boy, and Zelda's expression softened considerably into one of sympathy. She wanted to say _I know_, but part of her wasn't even sure if she even knew.

When they approached the doors they were greeted by an elder of the remaining Parliament who had decided to stay behind. Princess Zelda's eyebrows raised curiously as they approached him, and he looked at her with perplexed, trouble eyes.

"Your highness," he greeted and respectfully bowed.

"You look troubled, Hans," the princess pointed out, concerned. "Has something happened while we were gone?"

Hans straightened himself and stared at her with a frown; wrinkles that hid from his face revealing themselves. "The woman draped in black – the Twilight Princess, correct? Princess Midna?"

Zelda's eyes widened a little. _Midna?_ She wasn't surprised at the fact Hans knew about her – she had introduced them, and he was fully aware of who and what Midna _was_. But the fact that he seemed troubled over _something_ that had to do with the Twilight Princess laid a heavy stone down on her.

Link, however, beat her with a hasty response, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Yeah, that was her. Is she okay?" He spoke quickly, and Zelda awaited a response.

"We're not certain," Hans admitted, his frown deepening. "The guards reported her being in her room, and all of a sudden she burst out of it in a hurry. They couldn't tell if she was running _from_ something – they had scouted the chambers, and everything was essentially untouched. They weren't sure if they should stop her; they did not feel comfortable for detaining someone of higher status. She's left the area, however."

"Left? You mean the Castle or the Town?" inquired Link with a growl, his stomach doing flips and flops. Zelda laid a hand on his shoulder, a silent encouragement to _settle down_, but she was not sure how effective that would be.

Hans sighed. "She was seen exiting Castle Town, yes."

Both Link and Zelda felt a sense of sickness, and they both had mirroring thoughts.

"It's the mirror," Zelda whispered, her eyes widening.

Link was already taking a few steps back, scanning the area for his familiar horse. "What direction was she going?" Hans opened his mouth to respond, but Link just shook his head in frustration and motioned a hand to shut him up. "You know what? Nevermind. She probably _is_ going to the damn mirror. And she's got a head start, to boot."

"We _have_ to stop her," Zelda insisted; her light blue eyes still widened and desperation seeping into her maternal voice. She observed Link summon Epona, and then quickly ordered a soldier to get her one of the royal horses for herself.

Hans blinked, bewildered, and out of the loop as to _why_ they were both becoming so frantic. "Princess, your majesty – you cannot honestly _leave_, can you?"

One of the royal guards approached her with an armored horse, and she gave Hans a sharp look as she mounted it. "This is why I have you elders, correct? You will stand in as ruler in my absence – but do not be foolish, nor think _I_ am foolish for going after the Twilight Princess. It is necessary that I do, and it will all be explained to you upon my return." Zelda's voice boomed with authority, and her menacing stare had silenced Hans. He nodded in response. The Princess looked over to Link, who looked like a combination of anxiety, annoyance, and worry, and just about ready to leave. They nodded to each other and took off, Zelda following close behind him.

"If my memory serves right, the path to the Gerudo Desert is impassible!" Zelda shouted out after Link, hoping her voice would reach him amongst the pounding of hooves from their respective horses.

"I thought you and Midna were one or something?" he called back, glancing briefly over his shoulder.

She frowned. "Yes, we were! But I only saw random glimpses of your journey – not every detail!"

_That would explain it_, thought Link, and he nudged Epona's side firmly to speed her up. "How do you feel about cannons, princess?"

* * *

Midna wanted answers. And she knew exactly from who to get them from.

Thing is, going there by foot _sounded_ like a marvelous idea when she fled from Castle Town, but then she realized that getting _to_ the Gerudo Desert was first and foremost, impossible by foot alone, and she didn't have the patience nor time to run all the way to Lake Hylia, find the weird man with the canon, and strangle him until he shot her up into the sky and she landed on a mass of sand.

_I have my power_, Midna reminded herself when she slowed down from her running, catching her breath. She managed to warp from the middle of Hyrule field to the endless sands of the desert, and directly in front of the condemned prison that concealed the portal to her home – The Mirror Chamber.

"We expected you, Twilight Princess."

Haunted voices filled the air, and when Midna entered the Chamber, she looked up and noticed the five brightly glowing silhouettes standing on top of the exquisite poles – one empty, due to the fact that one sage had their life ended by Ganondorf's hand.

"I figured," she grumbled. "You've got some explaining to do."

There was no way that she saw them move – first, they were above her, watching her as she entered the chamber, and the next thing she knew all five had somehow, someway, descended from their poles and circled around her. _They're lucky I'm not claustrophobic._

"Unfortunately, we are not an endless well of knowledge, Princess," spoke the Sage of Light. Midna glared at him. "Just as the reason why Ganondorf was chosen to wield the Triforce of Power evaded us, this evades us as well."

Midna huffed and pushed herself past the Sages. She felt a tingly sensation once she brushed up against one of them, but promptly ignored it, and approached the mirror. She turned around and sat at the base of it, crossing her legs and holding her bandaged hand. "Then what good _are_ you, hm? You're supposed to be filled with wisdom and advice and at least _some_ knowledge, right?" They remained quiet while Midna seethed. "I guess all you're good for is banishing the worst criminals you execute to my realm so they can plague us instead of you, right?"

They said nothing.

"Just in case you didn't notice – sorry doesn't cut it."

The Sage of Shadow spoke up. "Perhaps this is the way the Goddesses choose to repent. They've chosen you."

"Yes, and when they chose someone for _this_ last time, they chose Ganondorf!" the Twili hissed, ripping the bandages off her hand. "And we have all seen what happened with _that_."

Once the torn pieces and bits of the bandages fell from her hand and to the ground, she held the back of her hand up – it was engulfed in a bright, golden light with a vibrating, glowing mark flashing off and on in her skin; the embedding mark of the Goddesses.

She heard the Sages gasp and they floated a few feet away from the angered Princess. "And here, I thought I was allergic to the sun. But, _no_, it can't be that simple, can it? Instead, I get _this_." The Triforce of Power continued to flash glows on and off, on and off, as if it was still deciding to stay, or leave. "This used to be _Ganondorf's_. I want nothing of his."

"It is not a choice, Twilight Princess," voiced the Sage of Fire with an authorative edge. "We do not know the design of the Goddesses. We do not know why such things happen. But you cannot tear that from you. It is now part of who you are."

_Why couldn't they give me a rash instead of this?_ Midna let out a frustrated sigh and hid her face in her hands, ignoring the tingling sensation her hand kept experiencing. She took in deep breaths, multiple deep breaths, to ease the sense of tension of her bones, and did not notice the dying glow of her hand, that eventually just mellowed and permanently formed the golden mark into her skin.

"Your intention was to shatter the mirror," stated one of the Sages. She didn't know which, and she didn't care. "You now are connected to the Chosen Hero and the Princess of Hyrule – they bear the courage and wisdom, and you bear the power. As long as you bear that mark, the worlds will continue to stay connected. You are the other side of the coin to Princess Zelda, and Link is part of both – he is the savior of Hyrule chosen, as well as the fabled Sacred Beast that was said to free your people."

_I almost want to say Zelda had tea with these sages in order to convince me to keep the damn thing in one piece_, the Twili thought to herself. She rubbed her temples tenderly, avoiding the biggest migraine in the entire history of both realms, and let out another sigh. It could have been frustrated, it could have been sad, but it seemed more…defeated, than anything else.

"They've followed you," said the Sage of Forest. In the blink of an eye, all five sages had aligned themselves behind Midna who was not planning to get up for _anyone_.

"You mean…?"

They said nothing. Midna blinked up at them, waiting for the answer she was almost certain she knew; but her hand seemed to vibrate with that familiar tingling that had formed in the center of her hand. It spread like veins through her fingers and into the rest of her body. She looked at her hand curiously, and the formerly dulled mark had begun to illuminate itself faintly.

There were two lights similar approaching them.

"We meet again, Princess Zelda. Chosen Hero."

When they both came into view, they were curiously looking at their glowing hands, confused as to _why_ they had started acting up. They exchanged glances, and then slowly turned their heads to the five sages and the princess sitting at the steps of her mirror. She, too, was holding a hand that echoed a faint glow.

Even though Link noticed the odd similarities between their hands, he stared at Midna; relieved that she was still there. The Mirror was still intact and she was still _there_, most importantly. He ran towards her and she did not budge, and he fell onto his knees and glared up at her dangerously. "What were you _thinking_?"

Zelda stayed where she was, realization dawning her.

_She possesses the one of Power_.

Midna rolled her eyes. "Relax, mutt." He continued to glare at her, and she glared right back at him. "I didn't come here to break anything. I came here to ask these guys some questions, but they've been very little help." Midna held up her faintly glowing hand to his, and Link's glare vanished and was replaced by a very confused look. All three marks ceased to resonate any light. "Looks like I'm not allergic to you after all."

Princess Zelda slowly approached the steps of the mirror, and she locked eyes with each and every sage present. "Why?" she asked them, not understanding anything herself.

"We do not have an answer to that. The intentions behind why she was marked are a mystery to us as well. We do not know what this entails precisely; except that she is now bound to you both. And so are both realms, now more than ever."

"So destroying the mirror is pretty much moot at this point," Midna cleared up dully. Link's face hardened at the mention of that and rose to his feet. She looked up at him and he avoided her gaze entirely; he was still hurt over the fact that she was more than willing to shatter the only thing they knew that would keep them around each other.

She couldn't blame him.

"What will this do to her?" Zelda whispered gravely.

Link seemed a little alarmed at her tone of voice, and glanced over his shoulder briefly. "What do you mean?"

"She's saying that this triforce doesn't have the greatest reputation," Midna elaborated and slowly pulled herself back onto her feet. "It had belonged to Ganondorf for who knows how long."

The Sages were quiet. It took a few seconds for Link to realize what that could impossibly entail, and he looked at both Princesses, and then to the Sages.

The Sage of Spirit stepped over. "It is true there would be a chance that the triforce might be tainted with a faint imprint of Ganondorf – but, as stated before, we cannot determine anything. It could simply increase her abilities a considerable amount for the greater good. That is the most likely outcome."

_The most likely outcome. Right._ Midna thought sourly.

"As long as your intentions are true and your heart acts in the best of interests, there should be no concern of anything…unexpected."

Link didn't say anything. He was the type to absorb all the information like a sponge. He glanced down at Midna's hand – noting that it was the hand that had been bothering her with itching and swelling and frowned a little.

"I think I need to go." Link and Zelda's heads both snapped up from their contemplative looks at random objects.

"What? But we were planning to do that _tomorrow_!" Link exclaimed desperately, his hand grasping her arm.

Midna pulled her arm away and looked away and to Zelda. "But I'm here _now_." Zelda's lips were pressed into a straight line, and she observed the Twili quietly. "I understand why you want me to stay for a little bit, I do, but just as you have your duties towards the kingdom of Hyrule, I have duties to my own, Princess Zelda."

Princess Zelda nodded slowly, her lips still pressed into a straight line. She could tell that she wanted to protest, but Midna had appealed to the side that understood her burden – a ruler must be there for their people, no matter what the circumstance.

"I understand."

Midna's lips formed a sad smile. "Thank you."

"Are you coming back?" piped up Link quietly. She glanced back towards him, and he didn't look mad like she expected him to. He was trying to cling to some sort of twisted hope that she still wouldn't break the mirror, and that she would come back and they would see each other again.

"Yes, stupid," she responded softly, some sort of unspoken affection lingering in her voice. The small smile remained and she reached up to place the hand marked by the triforce against his cheek. "I don't know when. But…I'm not breaking the mirror. That's already been discussed. I can't say I won't be back next week, or the week after, though. Whenever the realm is more stable is when I'll pay a visit."

"Do you need help with--?"

The Twilight Princess rolled her eyes. "No, stupid, and you're staying _right here_." Link winced at her scolding tone and she looked at him hard. "Your duties tie you here – you have your responsibilities. Ilia and the children. They're relying on you to take them back safely home."

He really hated it when she was right.

"Plus," she began again, and motioned her head to the Princess Zelda, who was a few yards in distance from them to allow some sort of privacy, despite the blank stares the sages present were giving them. "You're the Hero here. Zelda's going to need your help in the beginning reconstruction of Hyrule."

Link briefly glanced at Zelda, guilt flashing his eyes, and nodded slowly. She was right. She was absolutely right. He _did_ have lingering responsibilities here, still, even though he wanted more than anything he could just get rid of them. Thinking that just made him uncomfortably guilty.

A high-pitched giggle that he was so familiar with rang through his ears, and Midna smirked mischievously, moving her fingers underneath his chin. "Chin up, Hero. You're not getting rid of me _so_ easily."

His eyes narrowed at her, although weakly. "You better promise."

"Cross my heart." Midna winked at him. Unsure of how it happened, Link saw the portal open; swirls of black and white and archaic symbols projecting from the legendary mirror, and spinning like a monochromatic kaleidoscope. Steps arose from thin air to the spinning portal, and she gracefully hopped onto them and turned around to face the Princess and Hero one last time.

Princess Zelda stepped forward hesitantly, looking up at Midna. "Do not hesitate to return if you need help, Princess Midna. I wish you the best of luck."

The Twilight Princesses nodded to Zelda's kind words. She glanced over at the Sages, who had remained quiet and contented themselves in being silent observers. "Protect this mirror with your _lives_. The next time you Sages send a criminal into my realm, you'll be hearing it from me."

They virtually said nothing, although they hesitantly looked at each other – one might assume they seemed almost a little intimidated.

She finally looked to Link. He had been watching her the entire time with sad eyes. He stayed wordless.

"See you later, Link."

The next thing they all knew, she disappeared with the saddest smile.


	4. With Every Passing Day

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Look into the shadows, step into the mist.  
Search your land but doubt never  
I still exist._

Chapter Four  
_With Every Passing Day_

It had been two months since Midna crossed into her world, and there was still no sign of her return.

Link tended to his responsibilities immediately after her departure. It was something to distract him, to keep his mind off, and he hoped the more helpful he was, the faster time would pass and he'd be dealing with her devious grin and her mischievous giggle again. But no matter how much he did, time just crawled along too slow for comfort.

He returned the children and Ilia back to Ordon, where they were happily reunited with their parents. There had been a large celebration in town for their return and a vast amount of gratitude directed towards Link for returning them home safe and sound. They all questioned his journey and asked for stories, curious and intrigued to hear Link's side of it all. He was an active participant. He was the Hero. And none of them made sure that he would never forget that.

Things at first fell into the usual grind. He helped the children, especially Colin, train in self-defense and he continued to herd goats when he was asked. Ilia continued to tend to Epona, making sure the horse was groomed and bathed and well-taken care of. Not that Link couldn't do it himself, but she wanted to be at least somewhat helpful and lately it had seemed like Epona was the only connection her and Link had anymore.

"He might be love sick," Beth once told Ilia. Ilia rolled her eyes, and Beth shrugged defensively. "Whaaaaat? Maybe he fell in love with Princess Zelda! You know how those stories go - the knight in shining armor saves the endangered princess from evil and then they live happily ever after!"

Ilia sighed, looking at the direction of Link's tree house sadly. He had spoken about some aspects of his journey: Princess Zelda, of course, being an important part. But there was another woman who prevailed through the stories and was deemed higher than the Princess of Hyrule – at least, in Link's eyes. He mentioned that this woman who had helped him was also a princess but where she yielded from and what her name was, Link had kept to himself, no matter how many times he had been prodded and poked for that information.

"Love sick _could_ be accurate," Ilia spoke quietly. "But I don't think Princess Zelda is the princess he's missing."

It was something she would never bring up to Link, though. If he didn't want to talk about it, he simply just did not want to talk about it, no matter how much she thought that he probably _did_ need an ear that would listen. The concept of Link's heart being taken by some unknown, mysterious princess did not bother her like Beth thought it would. Link was her childhood friend. He was extremely important to her and he would always be – but the affection never left the realm of sibling love

Ilia knew Link didn't want to stay in Ordon. She did not know the full-extent of his journey. She knew he was keeping important details to himself and she did not know why, but she was fully aware that Link had outgrown his little hometown.

She wondered if _he_ knew that.

Ilia invited Link for a walk one day. Nothing too far off – they simply ventured off to the spring in the forest, letting Epona trot around in the shallow waters. Both Hylians sat by the shore and watched the horse enjoy herself, enjoying each other's company without saying much at all. But Ilia decided to spark up a conversation, at least – lately it was harder and harder to exchange a few words with her friend sometimes.

"I've seen you in your Ordonian clothes more than in your other," Ilia mused with a small giggle, "and I for some reason think the Ordonian clothes don't suit you much anymore."

Link blinked a few times. Ever since his arrival he had undressed from the Hero's clothing and stored it somewhere in his tree house. He wasn't sure if he would ever need them again. Putting them away was like putting away another part of his identity. "I guess. Do I look better with the Hero tunic or something?"

Ilia tilted her head to the side, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's not exactly that. It just looks…right, you know? Like you should have been wearing that all along, instead of your regular clothes. If that makes any sense."

He laughed a little and fiddled with blades of grass, pulling them from the earth, and moving them in between his fingers. "I guess? It _is_ really weird not wearing them, I have to be honest. It's also just plain weird being back here, you know? For some reason I forgot that I would ever return."

Ilia watched him speak, the smile turning into a frown. Link continued to mindlessly occupy himself with grass although he looked heavily contemplative. His last words replayed in her mind, over and over, and she let out a heavy sigh, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Link?"

He looked up at her.

"I don't think this is where you should be."

Both of his eyebrows rose. "What do you mean?"

"It's not that I want you to leave, don't get the wrong idea!" she quickly clarified and sat on her knees, facing him more. "I would love for you to stay. Everyone here cares about you, Link. And we will always accept you with open arms, whether you stay or choose to go elsewhere. It's just…" Ilia bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "You're not happy here."

"Who says I'm not?" Link responded defensively with a frown.

"You're just not the same," Ilia continued softly. "I know you're hiding details of what happened. And you have your right. But you've changed. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, because it's not at all! It's just…" she sighed again. "It feels like we're kind of caging a beast that should be free. You're here because you feel you _need_ to be here, that you _have_ to protect us. Not because this is where you want to grow old and die."

Was he really that easy to read? She was right. He didn't want to be here. He loved the people here – they were all good to him, and the children of the village meant everything to him. This was where he grew up. But after his return, it just wasn't home anymore. Nothing changed. Everything stayed the same.

It was just him that changed.

"It's not like I have anywhere to go," Link finally replied with a nonchalant shrug. He stuck his finger into the sand, moving it around, drawing little designs that reminded him of the markings that used to glow on a certain someone's skin. "If I don't belong here, then where do I belong?"

"What about the princess?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked at Ilia oddly. "Princess Zelda? I mean, I help her sometimes when she needs help with the rebuilding of Hyrule, but I don't think I could ever call Castle Town _home_ or anything."

Ilia shook her head quickly. "Not that princess. The one from your story, remember?" She saw Link tense at her reference of the unnamed princess. "Why don't you go find her?"

Link pressed his lips into a straight line. "It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

"It's just _not_," Link retorted irritably with a scowl. Ilia looked a little taken back with his tone and he quickly felt guilty. "Sorry. I didn't—I didn't mean it to come out like that. It's just…"

"Complicated."

He nodded.

"Do you think she'll return?"

Link broke his gaze from Ilia and decided to stare at the waters of the healing spring. "She promised. She warned me that it might take awhile. But she promised."

Ilia slowly smiled and squeezed his shoulder gently. "Then she will. Will she be coming here, though? I think we would certainly like to meet the princess you speak so fondly off, but you _never_ tell us her name."

Link wasn't sure how they would react to Midna. She wasn't a Zora or a Goron, and she was definitely something distinct from a Hylian. It was hard to deny that she was beautiful, none the less; exotic and oddly captivating in an odd way. "I don't think she'll be coming here. I'll be meeting her somewhere, probably."

His friend raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you leave every so often? You don't tell us where you're going."

"Sort of."

Midna had promised not to shatter the mirror. He believed her, for the most part. The fact that she had been holding the intention of breaking the mirror from him broke some of his trust in her. Sometimes he would awake with startling dreams of her breaking the promise and actually returning to break the thing apart. He would make a regular trip to the Mirror Chamber just to make sure with his own two eyes that the mirror remained intact. And sometimes, he would stay overnight, hoping that it would be the night she would come back and aggravate the living hell out of him.

So far, that night had never come.

"You need to go out. Run free. Figure things out." Ilia leaned against her brother figure affectionately, and he rested his head against hers a little. "And if Ordon really is where you're supposed to be, this will always be your home. But…if not, we will still expect frequent visits."

He laughed a little. "Are you kicking me out of Ordon? Look, just because you're the mayor's _daughter_…"

Ilia laughed too and hit his shoulder lightly. "I just want my friend to be happy, is all. I think we'll do okay. We've got another you in Colin, you know."

Link wasn't sure when Ilia made a sudden, more mature change. She had always been chipper and gentle but with a self-righteous streak to her. There were times where she was just downright aggravating and he wanted absolutely nothing to do with her – but that's the pattern found when you have someone like a sibling. Losing her memory like she did and being put in a situation like what she and the children were in seemed to have grounded her more, and every day, she seemed more like a growing woman rather than a growing child.

He grinned at her, and reached over to pull her into a one-armed hug. She laughed and returned it.

"Thank you," he murmured.

The news of Link's seemingly permanent departure had become a bit of a controversy amongst Ordon. Many of the people honestly did not want him to leave. They wanted to be the home of the Chosen Hero that graciously saved their lands, and weren't entirely sure of the reason _why_ he was leaving. Ilia stayed behind him the entire way supporting his decision, and she was completely convinced that this was for the best. They were going to leave his tree house exactly where it was, locked from prying hands, just in case he ever did decide to return or just visit. He would still have his home.

He had discarded the Ordonian clothing and pulled his Hero's tunic from its chest to slip it back on, and he was amazed how it always seemed to fit like a glove. Just like Ilia had told him, it just felt right – like he should have been wearing it all along.

"Come back to visit, okay?" Ilia insisted with a scolding glare, but her face softened and she smiled at him. "Be safe. And don't do anything stupid. And please, _please_ take care of Epona."

He nodded. Colin had scampered out from behind her and shyly looked up at Link. "Come see us soon, okay, Link?"

Link reached from behind high up on Epona and ruffled Colin's hair affectionately. "I will. Take care of them, okay? I know you can do it."

Colin closed his eyes at the hair ruffling. Once he re-opened them he looked up at Link with determination and nodded. "I will! I promise. I won't let you down!"

Link looked back to the place he once called home for one more time and finally rode off out of Ordon, with everyone he had grown up with watching him disappear into the trees.

* * *

Hyrule had quickly flourished. There was one thing Princess Zelda believed her kingdom would do in a heartbeat – band together and help restore everything back to its original status. Buildings that were destroyed were rebuilt. Businesses returned back to the market, boosting the fallen economy considerably. The castle was in the works as well, much of it newly built. There was still some construction left but for the most part, everything was returning back to normal.

"Thank you, Goddesses," Zelda quietly said to herself, letting out a breath of relief and closing her eyes. It had been nights of forgotten sleep and hard work, and Hyrule seemed to have finally gotten back on its feet without her constant attempt to repair things. It was close to dusk at this point and she was in her private library – she had finished restocking the shelves with volumes and books she had lost to the previous fallen castle, and it was nice having her literary collection restored.

She remained in her large, cushioned chair behind her desk, an array of papers decorating the maple wood with random scribbles in Hylian and ink blots accenting blank pages. Her eyes were still closed and she just relaxed.

Until someone knocked on her door.

_So much for relaxing_, she thought to herself. Her eyes slowly opened and she straightened herself, quickly organizing the mess on her desk. "You may enter," she called out.

One of the maids entered timidly and bowed down to the Princess from where she was. "The Hero has arrived. He would like to see you, if you so choose."

Princess Zelda seemed slightly surprised. "Link?" That was odd. Usually their visits were scheduled and she knew when to expect him. She was certainly not expecting him today. Slightly concerned, she nodded at the maid. "Absolutely. Allow him entrance."

"As you wish, your highness." The maid bowed respectively once again before exiting the room. A few minutes after her departure, Link hesitantly pushed the door open and poked his head in, and Zelda was genuinely surprised to see him wearing a familiar green hat.

_He's wearing the Hero's clothes,_ she noted to herself. "Come in, Link. Take a seat. It's a pleasure seeing you."

Link slowly entered and closed the door behind him. He took his cap off briefly and bowed before putting it back on. Zelda wanted to sigh. Numerous times she had told Link that formalities were unnecessary, and even though he would agree to stop it, the bowing and addressing her by her title was something he just did automatically – like it was programmed in his instincts, or something. This time she did not bother to correct him. It would simply be redundant.

"Sorry for the unannounced visit," Link apologized sheepishly and took a seat in front of her desk.

The princess shook her head. "Do not apologize. You are welcome here any time. Although, I honestly am surprised to see you here." She raised an eyebrow. "In those clothing, no less. What brings you here today?"

"I left Ordon."

Zelda blinked, unsure of what that exactly meant. "Pardon?"

Link sighed and shifted in his seat uncomfortably, looking around the library to avoid her questioning eyes. "Did Midna ever mention what happened to the Fused Shadows?"

Now Zelda looked absolutely lost. "What do the Fused Shadows have to do with you leaving Ordon?"

"Nothing, actually." He shrugged. "I left Ordon because I felt like I was obligated to stay there, instead of actually wanting to. My friend, Ilia, convinced me it was best for me to go. So, I was riding around Hyrule field…."

"Okay…" Zelda trailed off, waiting for him to elaborate.

Link took out a small bag and rummaged through it before continuing. She watched him, immediately recognizing some sort of spell on it. It was probably something Midna cast for storage purposes. Link pulled out a relic that almost literally made her eyes pop out of her sockets.

"Where did you _find_ that?" The princess breathed out in shock, slowly rising to her feet.

"Buried in the field," Link said as a matter-of-fact, his face darkening a little. "I tripped on it. Something tells me these shouldn't be lying around out there where just anyone could stumble on them. I thought Ganondorf…destroyed them—when he—"

"I know Midna has one of them," Zelda interrupted on purpose to keep him from saying something he didn't want to say. She moved from behind the desk to carefully examine the piece. "The one that Ganondorf personally broke at the battlefield...she managed to piece it together. I'm assuming from help with the triforce, without even realizing it, of course."

"What should I do with it?"

The princess leaned against her desk and crossed her arms. "Well, the most reasonable thing is to find the other two. I hope that no one else has stumbled upon them even if they're void of magic. If you want, I can keep this one with me."

Link shook his head. "I think I should keep it. Who knows where the other parts are? I think having this one with me might help me find the other two."

Zelda thought it over, and slowly nodded. "I see."

"Kinda gives me something to do again," Link said with a bit of a grin and stood up, putting the Fused Shadow back into the pouch, where it looked like it simply seemed to disappear. "Even if I have to do this one alone."

"She's coming back, Link."

He avoided her stare. "I know. I just wish I knew when."

"Have you tried communicating with her?"

Link gave her an odd look. "I can't exactly do that."

Princess Zelda shook her head. She held up the hand her triforce marked. "It's simply an old rumor. But it has been said that when two wielders of a triforce have a strong bond – no matter what type that bond is – communication by thoughts is possible to transcend via distance. Perhaps even worlds."

"Has…that happened before?"

"So it has been said," Zelda explained. "The previous Hero with the triforce of courage and the previous Princess with the triforce of wisdom were said to have a bond which allowed them such communication. But those times were long ago, and we have no tangible proof to support those rumors."

"Have you tried? With Midna?"

The princess paused before responding. "I…have. But I have yielded no results, unfortunately."

"Do you think she's doing okay?"

"I believe so, yes."

Link flashed her a small smile and left.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't Hyrule's favorite hero!" boomed a bouncy Telma, leaning over from behind the bar. Link was hoping for a quiet entrance but once he heard Telma's loud voice, he cringed involuntarily. Random cheers waved through the bar and he looked at them sheepishly, waving a little. "Now, now, honey, don't be shy." Telma winked and beckoned him over. "I haven't seen you in quite some time, boy! I almost thought you forgot about me. Tsk, tsk."

Link approached the bar, attempting to avoid all the attention he gained without seeming rude. He really was not fond of the attention and fame he had received; being in the spotlight made him uncomfortable, but there really was no where he could hide when he came to Castle Town.

"Hey," he greeted the bartender, and she grinned at him and put her hands on her hips. "The usual, please?"

"'Course, sugar," Telma chuckled and winked at him again. She retrieved glass bottles and started pouring and mixing. "Haven't seen you in those clothes for awhile, hon. Feeling a little nostalgic now, or are we on some new adventure?"

Link shrugged. "Both? I don't really know."

"How's the Ilia girl doing, hmmm?" Telma swiftly slid his drink towards him on the bar top and he caught it with an open hand. "You've gotta bring the girl here next time you come around. The kids, not so much; those youngins' are still too damn young for the good stuff, ya hear?"

He laughed a little and took a quick gulp of his drink. The taste was good, but the feeling burned his throat more than he'd like to admit. "Probably won't be for another while, actually." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I left Ordon."

Telma raised an eyebrow. "Permanently?"

"I'm not really sure." Link paused. "Maybe."

He saw the bartender look contemplative, and then she looked at him suspiciously. "You aren't moving into Castle Town, are you? Say, with a certain Hyrulean majesty, are you?"

Link almost spit his drink out.

"_What?_ No, of course not!"

"I was joking, I was joking." Telma patted his shoulder, and Link banged his chest a little to clear his throat. "Sorta, anyway. Honey, _why_ did you leave? Something troubling you?"

"Just needed a change, I guess," Link shrugged nonchalantly and gulped his drink away. "Nothing serious. I'll always go visit."

Telma eyed him curiously but then finally shrugged, deciding to let it go. Curious as she was, she was no one to butt into the hero's affairs. She reached over and pinched his cheek, chuckling. "Whatever you say, honey. Drink's on me. Enjoy as much as you want."

Link had actually never gotten drunk before. He's drank, but nothing ever really _too_ strong. The occasional wine and the occasional home-brewed beer were the most common. It wasn't until he visited Telma's bar that he was introduced to drinks that were mixed with alcohol he had never heard of and fruit juices he couldn't even pronounce. But they were good, and although Link was often shy and did not take the offers of people, Telma was very hospitable, and convinced him to get another drink.

One drink turned into two.

Two drinks turned into three.

For shits and giggles, three drinks turned into eight.

That's when she cut him off.

"Honey, I'm closing."

"Oh."

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"Yes!"

"Thank the heavens," Telma muttered, regretting offering the boy drinks. He looked drowsy and cross-eyed. "Where?"

"What?"

She sighed. "Where are you staying, Link?"

Link looked at her and squinted, concentrating hard. He made a funny face and then patted himself down a little, until his hands reached the small pouch the Fused Shadow was hidden. This made him remember what the hell he was supposed to do, and he cursed under his breath, stomping his foot down. "Damn. I forgot!"

"…you forgot where you were staying?"

He shook his head and pushed himself off the bar stool, stumbling and wobbling until he stood up straight. "No, no! The—thing—I have to do! Before Midna comes back and might strangle me! Thank drunk I'm not the Goddesses."

Telma watched the drunken Hero stumble out of her bar, and she was heavily torn on whether or not she could go after him. She glanced over to the Goron beside her, who watched the entire thing while he polished a glass. "Something tells me he should not go alone, huh?"

"Brother seems to be very drunk," the Goron pointed out the obvious. "He'll will probably be okay."

"I sure hope so." Telma sighed. "I'm going to hear some interesting stories in the morning, I bet."

When he left the bar night had fallen and the streets were mostly barren except for a few stragglers and perhaps some suspicious fellows around the roads. He paid no regard to them. He was concentrating on walking in a straight line and focusing his vision. He got sidetracked – a little _too_ sidetracked – and was aware to extent how, uh, _wasted_ he was. He _never_ was this drunk before.

It was kind of interesting how his motor skills change, he noted.

He stopped by one of the exiting doors of Castle Town and held his head, groaning a little. He wasn't feeling all that sick yet, but the walking around and stumbling was almost a little dizzying, and he leaned against the large wooden doors and looked across the bridge. There would be stallhounds and probably some annoying things that went bump in the night. He idly wondered if it would have been a better idea to stop by the Sacred Grove and retrieve the Master Sword once again, but the world wasn't endanger and there was nothing he faced that needed the strength and power of that particular blade.

He slumped down against the door and held his head between his knees, squinting his eyes shut repeatedly. He remembered what he had to go through to obtain the Fused Shadows the first times, through the temples and corrupted beasts within the lands of Hyrule, but he somehow found _one_ of them lying about and half-buried like it was no one's business. He wasn't sure if he preferred the easy route in finding the shadows or if he wanted to feel the rush of sneaking up behind enemies and trying out how to figure out the puzzles of each temple.

But right now, in Link's drunken state, he kind of wished he could just dig around and find the Fused Shadows. It wouldn't take much if that was the case – but only if he had the power to turn himself into that blue-eyed beast that terrified Hyrule's citizens just by prancing around. He could obtain the scent and follow it around the fields until he found each spot and dug around until he pulled them out.

That would be ideal. It wouldn't involve necessary bloodshed, which was always a plus.

He groaned a little and winced as he pulled himself up slowly.

_You're an idiot._

Link blinked a few times, clearing his bleary vision and quickly glanced around. He knew he heard _someone_. It sounded as if it was someone in the distance, maybe behind him – he didn't know.

_Sit down._

"Hello?" Link called out and hiccupped, narrowing his eyes. Who the hell was _talking_ to him? He didn't see anyone out in the open. Were they hiding?

_Sit. Down._ He heard it again. This time it sounded closer. Where the hell was it _coming_ from?

"Whatever," he grumbled. Link rubbed his nose, unsheathed his sword, and went into Hyrule field.

* * *

"So, let me understand this," began Princess Zelda slowly. She put down her reading glasses and rubbed her temples, letting out a very exhausted, very exasperated sigh. Link was sitting on a golden and red chair across from her desk, looking absolutely miserable and pale. "You are hung over."

"Yes."

"This is due to the fact that you drank copious amounts of alcohol at Miss Telma's bar."

"Yes."

"And for some reason yet unknown to me, you decided to go out into Hyrule field, and find the Fused Shadows."

"Yes."

"Which you have successfully obtained by digging around, still intoxicated."

"Yes."

"But you threw up all over them."

"…I cleaned them, okay?" Link sighed. "It was a bad idea."

"But you found them, which is the puzzling part," Princess Zelda frowned, watching him with concerned eyes. "The three Shadows were originally hidden in the depths of the temples, as you may recall. I'm surprised the Light Spirits did not take them once they returned Midna to her natural state."

"I know. It's…weird. I was expecting something more climatic, actually." He shrugged his shoulders and leaned back against the chair, closing his eyes briefly. "I wonder if they're just powerless at this point."

"Perhaps they will be activated again once Midna returns and reunites them?" Zelda theorized, tapping her chin. "I assumed the one I found with her was completely devoid in magic. But she somehow managed to revive it – but, again, it was probably due to the power of the triforce she now holds.

"Probably." Link slowly opened his eyes and winced. "I'm sorry."

Princess Zelda shook her head. "Do not apologize. Although I expect you to be more careful next time." She gave him a warning look, and he nodded obediently. "You could have gotten hurt in the state you were in. _Please_, I ask you to be a bit more responsible next time, okay?" Link nodded again and her gaze softened. "One of the royal maids will escort you to a bed chamber. Freshen up and get some sleep. You look absolutely miserable."

He smiled sheepishly. "Thank you, Princess."

Zelda returned the smile and nodded. She watched him leave the library, and then she held her head in her hands and shook her head.

_Midna will kill me if she finds out about this._ The Chosen Hero of the Gods, finding ancient Twilight artifacts buried in the lands of Hyrule, completely intoxicated out of his _mind_.

That was something that didn't happen every day. Princess Zelda was sure to keep that part of any future history books for his sake, at least.


	5. Higher than Hope

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Oh, you speak to me in riddles  
and you speak to me in rhymes.  
My body aches to breathe your breath,  
Your words keep me alive._

Chapter Five  
_Higher Than Hope_

Link knew that when he left Ordon, he had no permanent destination in mind. He had planned to travel the lands, do some random side jobs here and there, until _something_, _anything_ came about that would guide him wherever he needed to be. Saving Hyrule had a purpose and ever since completing what he had been chosen to do, there was no possible way he could ever return to his old life. That part of his life – waking up to herd goats and being the errand boy of Ordon – had ended, and there was no return.

He often stayed in the confines of the castle. Princess Zelda had insisted in offering him shelter as long as he needed it and she did not mind the companionship in the slightest. It was refreshing to talk to someone who was _not_ an employee or part of the Parliament. She enjoyed his company, even though she could still sense a fine line that was drawn between them due to pure hierarchy alone. He still addressed her formally, much to her dismay, and no matter how many times she asked him not to, he seemed to have ill memory and forget every time he greeted her.

Princess Zelda also knew that Link could only stay within the walls of Hyrule for so long. Tall walls and crowds weren't much of his thing, and while roaming the market he had met interesting people and saw interesting things, he would often look towards the large wooden doors that held Hyrule's vast field on the other side. Every time he left he asked her permission, which she found absolutely irritating, and she vehemently insisted that he did _not_ need to ask permission whatsoever. But Link felt it was the formal, polite thing to do just in case the Princess needed him around for one thing or another.

Ever since the night he had journeyed ridiculously intoxicated to find the missing Fused Shadows, he had been very cautious of how much alcohol he consumed. He rarely consumed _since_ that night and apologized to Telma if he acted like an idiot. In actuality she started to feel guilty about letting him go alone, and promised next time to cut him early and _fast_ if the situation arose. He insisted that it would never happen again but she merely laughed at him and gave him a flirtatious wink. "It's always good to know your limits, Link," she said. "Besides, getting a little messed up here and there isn't illegal – although you might be completely embarrassed in the morning, depending what you end up doing."

After staying in the castle to willingly help the Princess with some miscellaneous matters, he excused himself (after asking permission, _again_, even though Zelda persistently reminded him that he did not have to ask her permission for pretty much anything) and rounded up Epona at the Royal Stables. She was very well taken care of and there was enough room for her to stretch her legs and run around freely. She was well-groomed and well-fed, and he was certain that Ilia would be very pleased with him. When he arrived Epona had instantly recognized him and walked up to him, nudging him with her narrow head gently as a greeting. He laughed a little and pet her.

"Feel like heading to Lake Hylia, ole' girl?" he asked her, knowing very well that she understood exactly what he was saying. Being in the form of the Sacred Beast was interesting when it came to other animals. He had never expected to be able to understand Epona. She moved her head as if she was nodding and stayed perfectly still, awaiting for her Master to mount her and direct her where to go. Epona knew the path to Lake Hylia as if it were engraved in her instincts – Link rode there enough to use the cannon that shot him high up into the sky and threw him into the haunted sands of the Gerudo Desert.

Link smiled at his horse gently and gave her one last pet before swiftly climbing onto her back. He pulled the reins and let her swiftly trot on the grass for a quick warm up, before making her speed up and leap over the wooden fences and ride off. He felt less chained and much freer as he left Castle Town behind him, letting it vanish into the horizon. Ilia was right. He _did_ feel like a caged beast that needed to be free.

The sun would soon set and the temperature started to drop, but the wind whipping at his face and weaving into his hair felt amazing. It didn't take him long until he arrived at the long bridge that hovered over the depths of the lake. He got off Epona and embraced her neck for a moment, and then finally let her go.

"It's that time again, Epona. Don't wonder too far off, okay?" he rubbed her long muzzle, grinning. "I won't take too long. Give me a day, at the most."

She pressed her nose against his cheek as a motion of understanding and started walking off on her own. He watched her before entering Falbi's little building of cuccos. He was a regular costumer to both Falbi and Fyer – he used the cuccos to fly down and the cannon to shoot him up into the desert, so they already knew to expect him. Link paid the owed rupees and grabbed a flailing cucco – who really, _really_ did not want to go through this – and jumped off the balcony, gliding over the waters of Hylia until he descended, and landed before the aged man Fyer and his cannon.

He remembered when he first encountered Fyer. He heard Midna make a weird noise from his shadow and then whisper how _creepy_ looking the old man was. And, oh, he _was_ creepy looking. Link agreed fully. But he was also harmless and sadly, extremely helpful. He just wished he would give him at least _one_ discount with how often he used the cannon.

"To the desert?"

Link nodded and got himself comfortable, which wasn't much. While waiting he idly remembered how Princess Zelda reacted to being transported to the desert via cannon. Her expression was amusing despite the dire circumstances, but she entered and was shot up like a trooper without a word of complaint, although he knew more than well that it startled her to no end.

He felt the cannon rumble, and the next thing he knew he was flying into the sky with the wind harshly blowing into his face. He shut his eyes wisely, as he knew what was to come next – a face full of sand. Luckily, this time he remembered to _shut_ his mouth. Sand was not tasty. It never will be.

Landing was always the worst part. Mostly because it actually _hurt_. He groaned softly and pushed himself up onto his feet and wiped the sand off his face and whatever had clung to his tunic. Any regular traveler would have gotten himself utterly lost in these lands, but Link had frequented the desert so much that it was like the map was drawn on the back of his hand. He adjusted the shield and sheath on his back, made sure all his weapons for accounted for, and walked through the wasteland and sandy winds.

The Arbiter's Grounds was always a place that creeped him out. Even if someone didn't know the history of this prison, it would still send shivers up the spine. A shudder went down his spine but he shrugged it off and made his way up the spiral stairs and into the Mirror Chamber.

As expected, even though he was hoping for the best, it was barren except for the pedestal holding up the strange mirror. It was still intact, and this fact had soothed his nerves upon every visit. It seemed like he was always alone in the chamber, but he was fully aware that the Sages were watching him although invisible to the naked eye. It was their duty to protect the mirror from those unknown.

He sighed to himself and looked around. Everything looked exactly the same; broken and untouched. Link stood in front of the mirror and let his fingers glide across the glass, following the patterns of the odd symbols that were foreign to him. His eyes wondered over to the stone slab he had seen the mirror project the portal at, staring at it for several moments unmoving. There was still faint hope that the mirror would project and the portal would open and his friend would step down those stairs again.

It still didn't happen.

It was almost three months since she had left at this point, and still no sign.

He knew he could probably follow her into her own world if he so chose. It was not beyond his capabilities. But he had promised her that he would stay, and she explicitly said that it was best for him to wait for her here. He didn't want to show up and freak her people out with the fact that there was a damn _Light Dweller_ in their world. He was smarter than that, although he often fought the urge of just screwing it all to hell and opening the portal.

The sun was finally setting and soon the chamber would be engulfed in nothing but shadows. Lit torches were often scarce, as these grounds were abandoned and kept away from civilization. It offered him privacy, yet being on these grounds sometimes made him uneasy. Part of him still expected some sort of distorted poe or dead being to rise up and catch him.

But he always reminded himself that the Sages were situated here, and if any danger were to arrive and threaten him, they would be the first to act before he could even unsheathe his weapon.

He would camp out in front of the mirror like he did often, and he would leave the barren grounds when the first ray of light broke from the dawn and reflected on the mirror.

Every time he stayed in the Mirror Chamber, Link still always went to bed hoping that when he awoke, the portal would be open and his friend would be back. He knew he would be met with disappointment, so his hope died little by little each time.

* * *

Every time Link awoke from his slumber at the Mirror Chamber, he would awake uncomfortably. The floor was hard and bumpy on his back and the desert often had a cold, crisp morning air that reflected the low temperatures of the previous night. Sometimes he would wake up to an approaching sand storm and sand tangled up in his hair and covering patches of his tunic. But he had awoken so many times on these grounds that he knew exactly what to expect, and he had grown use to it.

So something was troubling when he began to awake. It wasn't even morning, that much he knew, because the darkness was still present as ever and the rays of sun had not broken through yet. He was greeted with laying on something soft – _like a bed?_ - and once he realized that was certainly not on any surface that belonged to the Mirror Chamber, let alone anything in the Gerudo Desert itself, Link shot up in alarm and reached over to unsheathe his sword, just to find it gone.

"What the--?" he growled to himself quietly, quickly feeling around on the bed for anything large and metallic. There was nothing. There was something oddly familiar about this bed that he couldn't pinpoint right then and there. He swiftly moved off the bed and rummaged his tunic until he found a lantern with a bottle of oil that was quickly filled, and quickly lit.

Something was definitely off.

He was back in Hyrule.

In the castle, no less.

And he had absolutely no idea _how_ he got here.

He waved the lantern around to illuminate places of the bedroom he was in. His shield and sword were neatly stacked on a chair beside a dresser, along with the hat he didn't even know he was missing. He waved the lantern more only to have a flash of nostalgia and a dawn of realization.

This was the room he slept in after the battle with Ganondorf. This was the room him and Midna slept in that one night.

Link swallowed the knot in his throat. _How…?_

There was some sort of noise behind him that sounded vaguely familiar, but it wasn't anything he could describe with words and when there was simply air behind him stood a person. He quickly turned around with the lantern thrust in front of him, his glare ready and cold.

But when the fire of the lantern lit up the face of someone he almost thought he would never see again, the glare of his eyes changed from narrowed to wide and Link promptly dropped his lantern in surprise.

"A little clumsy, aren't we?" whispered the Twilight Princess, her voice soft and sultry. Link cursed at the sound the lantern made when it hit the ground and he frantically reached over to pick it up. "What are you trying to do, wake up the entire Royal Guard? They don't know I'm here ye—"

"You're back," he breathed, his blue eyes still wide.

A little smirk played on her lips. "I said I'd come back, didn't I?" There was a familiar _hee hee_ coming from her, and the next thing she knew the lantern was set down somewhere, and the Hero enveloped her into his arms and trapped her into a tight embrace.

"It _took_ you long enough."

She wasn't entirely sure if she expected this type of greeting or not. She knew that he would miss her, but Midna was willfully ignorant on how _much_ he would miss her. She did not complain against the greeting she received, and her thin arms wrapped around her friend. The Twilight Princess closed her eyes, burying her face into his neck a little. "Sorry," she murmured. She felt him shake his head.

"Don't." He pulled back from the hug just barely and trapped her face into his hands, frowning. "Did you just get here? How did—but I was--?"

Midna rolled her eyes. "You're confused."

"Just a little bit, yeah." He dropped his hands from her face.

"I'm not entirely done in helping my kingdom back on its feet," she admitted with a sigh and moved over to the bed, welcoming herself to sit. She crossed her legs and fiddled with the slit of her long skirt. "There's still so much to do, but we're at the point of reconstruction that it is acceptable – and safe – for me to travel here, although for a very short time. A day at _most_."

_Just a day?_ He didn't say anything. He took a seat next to her and listened.

"I didn't think it would be so late when I appeared here. I saw you completely conked out on the floor, though." Midna smirked and tilted her head to the side, eying him. "You were out like a _baby_, but it looked so uncomfortable. I decided to warp you here quietly. You'd get better sleep on a bed, trust me."

"I'm surprised I didn't even wake up," Link furrowed his brows, almost a little disappointed in himself.

"No, it took you a bit to wake up." Midna snickered a little and elbowed him playfully. "What were you doing there, anyway? The Arbiter's Grounds is hardly a place anyone should _ever_ camp out at, even with the Sages holding watch."

"Does it matter?"

Midna shrugged her shoulders. "Just curious."

Link contemplated telling her. It wasn't much of a big deal, but he almost felt embarrassed with how often he checked the mirror to make sure it was intact, and how often he spent his nights sleeping there, hoping that he would be there when she came back.

He sighed heavily, and Midna glanced at him expectantly. "I was…waiting."

"….for how _long_?"

"I was only there for about two hours, I think," he quickly said defensively. "Not for _months_, mind you. I went to Ordon, and then I just decided to leave and roam around. I'm here from time to time, but not often."

"You left Ordon," she repeated. He nodded. "Explain what that means, exactly."

"I stayed there for awhile," he began to explain and leaned back a little, staring up at the dark ceiling. "I don't know. After everything it was just weird to go back there, you know? Everything was the same, and I still loved being around everyone." He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I was the one that changed and had to get out of there. They were all pretty supportive, and I _am_ going to visit. It's not like I'm disappearing forever."

Midna shoved against him lightly as a playful gesture and he nudged her back, although much more gently. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"But what about you? I know you've been busy with getting everything back to normal—but how's that going?" Part of him worried about her getting too stressed out, although he knew very well Midna was the type to take anything thrown at her and downright dominate it. "When can I come visit?"

"Full of questions now, aren't we?" Midna snorted softly and pulled her legs on top of the bed and leaned against the intricately designed headboard. "They're progressing. My mother has been a huge contributor to helping me with politics, and--"

"You have a mom?" Right when he blurted that out, he noticed how weird that sounded.

Midna gave him a funny look. "No, Link. My father gave birth to me. Of _course_ I have a mother, stupid."

"I didn't mean it like that!" he stammered out sheepishly. He looked flustered. "You just never mentioned your family, is all. I kind of assumed they died."

"My _father_ died, yes, leaving my mother to be Queen. But she stepped down; she never liked being an only ruler, and she hated monarchical politics with a passion. She's our High Priestess now, though – in charge of anything involving our sorceries, including the mirror in our world." She _thought_ she had told him this before, but it just made her realize that she did keep a lot of stuff from him. Link was an open book to her; he told her about his friends in Ordon and what happened to his parents. He didn't have a complicated past and he had a simple life and harbored almost no secrets. She, on the other hand, was a sealed book with hidden pages that she scarcely let others read.

"And she knows the entire story, right?"

Midna nodded. "Correct. She knows about you. She's actually been dying to meet you." Link looked intrigued at this and she rolled her eyes. "It's almost annoying. She's never met a Light Dweller, and she's curious on who the 'little man' – not my quote, it's hers, so stop looking at me like that – is that saved our lands. I've had mixed reactions from everyone else, though."

Link winced a little. "Wanna explain that a little?"

"Nothing violent, don't worry." Midna scooted to the side and patted the spot next to her, beckoning the Hylian to sit closer and lay on the bed with her. He obeyed quietly and got himself comfortable against the headboard too. "They're confused. Skeptical. And generally curious. Some believe you really are the Sacred Beast that was meant to free us, some want to see you to believe it. But they're more than thankful."

Link's face brightened up a little. "So, I can visit?"

The Princess giggled a little. "Not yet, not yet. I'll let you know, okay?"

He looked a little disappointed but nodded. Then a smirk played on his lips, and Midna raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Aren't you glad you didn't go through with destroying the mirror after all?"

She knew he meant it jokingly, but she involuntarily cringed at the mention and looked away. Link instantly regretted bringing it up and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. "I'm sorry. I just wanted what was best for _both_ worlds."

"I know, I know," Link said quickly and linked their arms as a comforting gesture. "I just wish you would have told me before, you know? I'm glad you _did_ end up telling me, but it looks like you weren't planning to in the first place."

"No. I really wasn't."

He didn't want to think what would have happened if she never told him, and ended up breaking the mirror like she intended to. He would be pretty damn pissed at her, first of all, but he wasn't sure what he would do after that. Having her gone was weird enough and uncomfortable already even though he knew she would come back. Having her be gone for good, with no chance of her visiting…he wasn't sure how he would react with that. This was one friend he really couldn't lose forever.

Link nudged her gently. "You're going to see Princess Zelda, right?"

"Of course, moron. I'm not going to see her _now_, obviously. We'll wait until morning. I'm tired. You probably are too."

"Sort of, yeah." He didn't want to ask if she was going to sleep elsewhere. He kind of assumed that she wasn't, and it wasn't the first time they had shared a bed comfortably.

"Question."

Link blinked. "Hmm?"

"Got any extra clothes?" she said, pouting a little. "I _really_ don't want to sleep in this."

He laughed and pulled his arm away from hers and got off the bed. "Yeah, I've got extras. I'll be back in a bit. I've gotta take it from the room Princess Zelda's letting me stay in."

She nodded and he left the lantern behind in the bedroom when he exited. She needed the light more than he did, and the hallways of the castle were already dimly illuminated by torches screwed into the castle walls. Some alert guards noticed him but said nothing. He quickly went down a flight of stairs and into the bedroom, pulling open drawers with extra clothing. He hoped Midna didn't mind masculine pajamas, because that's all he had, and he wasn't going to ask for something more feminine. It would earn him strange, questioning looks from the maids.

He returned with clothes hanging off his arms after several minutes. Midna had removed the excess articles of clothing off and let loose her hair, and he never noticed how long it was until now. He was used to seeing it tied up high and hidden by her helmet when she was in imp form, or just styled to where he didn't notice the length. But it had been a few months since he had seen her, so it would make sense for her hair to grow.

"I've got nothing _girly_, so you're gonna have to deal." Midna shrugged, not being bothered by the fact and took whatever he handed her. He was about to excuse himself to let her change, but she just went behind the changing screens wordlessly. He heard whatever clothing she had drop to the ground.

Link was rather amazed how comfortable they were around each other. He scratched his cheek, shrugged, and quickly undressed himself and put the extra pair of nightwear on – he took advantage of the fact that time was on his side, as women typically took a longer time to change out of _anything_. He never expected them to be in random situations like this, and he marveled on how close they were without even saying or explaining much to each other.

"I think this might be my vacation," Midna mused from behind the changing screen.

Link frowned and set his clothes and other things on top of his shield and sword, and plopped himself onto the bed, waiting her to emerge from the changing screen.

She emerged from the screen and Link noticed something a little weird.

She was wearing the shirt, which was a bit big on her and stopped above her knees a bit.

But she wasn't wearing any pants.

He refrained from pointing it out; chances are, she _probably_ knew she was missing pants. She didn't look ignorant to the fact or uncomfortable.

Midna ran her fingers through her hair quickly due to the absence of a brush and climbed onto the bed, moving next to him. She pulled the blankets and slipped under it, and after a few seconds Link hesitantly followed her example, flopping onto his side to face her. "So I guess I haven't really missed anything too important, huh?" Midna asked in a small murmur and moved to her side slowly, putting an arm underneath her head. "Did Zelda ever tell Hyrule about the Twili?"

He shook his head a little. "No, she didn't. She wanted to be honest, but she wasn't sure if they could handle it. She was a little afraid that they would realize the myths of the mirror were true, and people go after it. Its location is apparently known to everyone. They just think it's a hoax."

"Huh," Midna wrinkled her nose in thought. "It's the opposite for me. Part of growing up as someone from the Twili race is growing up with the knowledge that our ancestors were banished from this realm where the people of light dwell. Although most resentment has died, most of my people think of you guys in a condescending way."

"Well, that's nice."

"They're warming up a little, though, don't worry." Midna smirked and shoved his shoulder a little. "We're good at taking responsibility when it comes to one of our own messing things up. And we acknowledge a hero when the debts are due."

"That's…probably the only thing I have going with me." Midna laughed at that and he grinned a little. "It's true. Think they'll like me?"

"You better hope so. I think my mother would like you, at least."

Whether that was a good or bad thing, he wasn't entirely sure. He was actually kind of scared of meeting her mother. If she was anything like her daughter then she was probably one damn intimidating woman. But if she did ended up liking him after all, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. "So…do they know about—you know? Your hand?"

Their closeness was the only reason why he could see her expression change. She shook her head and instinctively curled up under the blankets a little. "Just my mother. My people aren't a fan of the Goddesses for the most part. If they find out they chose me for whatever reason, I feel like they would see me as a traitor than their Princess."

He remembered the history of the Twili almost vividly – the visuals he was stuck with in order to understand what exactly happened was never something he could push back into the depths of his mind. The Interlopers sought out the power of the goddesses, and were banished to another world mirroring Hyrule, and they eventually involved into the people of Twili. He found it oddly ironic how it was one of the Twili people that ended up being chosen by them in the end when they were the ones that banished their original ancestors to keep them away from such power.

"Plus, my mother doesn't like it. Neither do I."

Link blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't trust it." Midna brought her hand up and examined the mark tainting her skin. "I try not to think about it. I mostly keep it covered. I try use my magic the way I usually do, but ever since I got this damn _thing_," she explained, a bitter emphasis on the word 'thing,' "it's almost as if my powers have been amplified. How much, I'm not really sure."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Link frowned, not understanding where she was going with this. His own marked hand touched hers, and a few of their fingers intertwined just barely.

The Twilight Princess sighed and pulled their linked hands onto the bed. "I just don't want to end up like Ganondorf, or Zant. Greedy and insane for power. I don't want to get so used to having amplified powers and want to start craving for more, you know? No matter how good it feels."

Link's brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. His hand fully clasped hers this time, instead of just having fingers barely tangled up into each other, and he squeezed her hand gently. "You're nothing like either of them, Midna. None of us would ever let you end up like that. _I_ wouldn't let you end up like that."

Midna's lips quirked into a little smirk. "I'd expect you to kill me before that ever happened."

"That's not even the slightest bit funny."

"I'm serious."

"Be quiet and go to sleep."

"Then stop yapping at me, mutt."

Both of them stared each other down stubbornly, until Link let out a grunt and gave up, deciding to let go of her hand and flop onto his back and glare at the ceiling.

He had shut up like she had pretty much commanded him to, but he seemed bothered by what she had implied. She wasn't _entirely_ serious, strictly speaking, and she may be far-reaching, but she still didn't like the mark bestowed on her and she would rather die than ever become as corrupt as Ganondorf and Zant had.

After several moments of silence, she crawled closer to Link and welcomed herself to use his chest as a pillow. This gesture had translated to as an unspoken apology. After a few seconds, she knew she was forgiven when she felt his arm drape around her shoulder and give her a gentle squeeze.

Link then carefully reached over to the stand next to him, blew out the fire of the lantern, and both of them fell asleep for what few hours they had before morning.


	6. Precious Things

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_The dawn is breaking,  
A light shining through.  
You're barely waking,  
and I'm tangled up in you._

Chapter Six  
_Precious Things_

Link would often be worried if he overslept within the confines of the castle. He felt like he had to be up bright and early just in case his presence was required for _something_. Last night some of the Royal Guards had seen him roam the castle halls briefly but chances are, they most likely assumed Princess Zelda knew of his return. Not many knew of his unexpected return, then, and this erased the common obligation Link felt of rising early. He didn't know how long they had slept and for once, he didn't care.

They had moved around at night a few times but they had both somehow gravitated and adjusted to each other's new position without even meaning to. He wasn't sure what prompted _this_ change of position, however. He remembered falling asleep lying on his back with Midna's head resting on his chest. Instead, he awoke with her back facing him and pressed against his chest, and his arm draped around her waist. Her hair was a culprit in his awakening. It had tickled his nose a little to the point of almost sneezing, but he held it back, and carefully moved her long, bright hair away from her neck, and ultimately away from his nose.

She had mentioned last night that her very short stay here was essentially like a vacation, so the fact that he had awoken before her didn't surprise him. _She must be exhausted_, he thought with a frown and watched her body rise and fall with the way she breathed in a slow, steady place. She probably had not been able to sleep in such a long time. It must have felt like a luxury at this point.

He debated on carefully untangling himself from her to get up but he couldn't bring himself to tear away. He didn't feel right to have her wake up by herself, so he decided to stay. But he _would_ have to wake her up at some point. His stomach would begin to growl for some form of nourishment, and he figured she would want something to eat too. Plus, she _did_ have to see Princess Zelda at some point today.

Link used his free arm to rest his elbow on the pillow and hold his head, his other arm still tightened around her waist. He hated to have to wake her up, honestly, but they did have _some_ time to laze around…provided she just didn't fall asleep again. He pressed his lips against the back of her pointed ear gingerly and patted her flat belly a little. "Hey," he whispered, and nudged her a little more. "Wake up."

His attempts earned a high-pitched groan. He smirked, but Midna was not very amused – or very coherent. He had stirred her from her slumber to _some_ level of consciousness, but she was still incredibly stubborn as ever. She moved her head to hide her face into the pillow more and squirmed against him, kicking at the blankets defiantly as if she was telling him to _bugger off, I'm sleeping here, damnit._

He rolled his blue eyes. _Figures_, he thought. Waking her up was going to prove to be a challenge. He nudged her more but that yielded no more responses, so he started to slowly move her onto her back with his arm. Her body barely protested, but she started to wake up a little more. This time her eyes fluttered open barely and he saw red eyes stare up at him. She closed her eyes again and let out a soft whine, finally moving a hand up to press her palm against her forehead.

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't throw you off this bed," said Midna in sleepy irritation.

Link shrugged. "Can't think of one," he answered honestly to her empty threat. She glowered at him and he just decided to respond to her look with a smirk. She shifted around some more, wrapping the blanket around her body, and turned on her side to face him. "And no, you can't have five more minutes. Sorry."

Midna whined again and kicked him lightly with a bare leg. "Why _not_?" From under the covers, she slid a hand up his waist and fiddled with his nightshirt, pouting at him pitifully. "I _never_ get to sleep in anymore."

There was a pang of guilt he felt from her words. Technically, they _did_ oversleep, but it looked like Midna's definition of 'oversleeping' involved sleeping for a much longer period of time. He sighed. "Sleeping too much makes you tired more later anyway. It's not like you have to get up right about now, either, but you _do_ have to eat at some point, and see the princess again."

So, there might have been truth to his reasoning behind waking her up after all. She sighed and huffed, tugging on his nightshirt violently to express some sort of lazy aggression. "You're a jerk. I _should_ throw you out of this bed, you know."

"I don't doubt that you _could_." What he didn't mention is that he knew very well that she _wouldn't_, but he wasn't going to test her patience. He pressed his lips against his forehead, as if it was some form of a small kiss. "When are you planning to leave?"

"Tonight," she answered, closing her eyes at the gesture.

He had less than twenty four hours with her.

Neither of them said anything for awhile. He still had his lips pressed against her forehead and his eyes were fixated on the farthest wall in a sense of concentration. Her eyes were only halfway open, but she still was very much awake. There was some sort of intimate comfort that they both shared, and neither of them had even dared bring it up and break it with their words. The dynamics began to change and neither of them really knew how or when that began, but it was some sort of mutual, silent agreement between of them that they would avoid discussing it out in the open.

At least, for now, until whenever the 'time' was right and it arrived. There were lingering issues, things that neither of them wanted to bring up at all, so for now they remained in the back burner. They would eventually be discussed, whatever those issues may be.

"I'm thinking the next time I stop by," Midna began, breaking the silence, "I'll bring you with me for a bit."

He slowly separated his lips from her forehead and blinked down at her, laying his head back down on the pillow. "When do you think that'll be?"

"Hopefully soon." She grumbled her words out and encircled her arms around his waist, still under the warmth of the blankets so far. "Are you _sure_ I can't sleep for five more minutes?"

Link finally rolled his eyes and started to sit up, beginning to tug the blankets off her. "Get up, Midna." Of course, he met some resistance, until she finally gave in and cool air hit her bare legs and just made her wake up even more. She huffed and sat up as well, shamelessly letting the only garment of clothing uncover her thighs. He gulped a little.

"_Fine_. Be a jerk. I'm getting dressed!"

He knew she sounded more annoyed on purpose than she actually was, so he just ignored her. Midna scooted off the bed and gathered all her articles of clothing and went behind the changing screen, and he just took that as a cue to start dressing himself as well. "I'm thinking we go see Princess Zelda before we get something to eat. I'd rather have her know you're here from you personally than have her maids spread rumors. Most of them haven't seen you."

"That's probably a good idea," she said from behind the screen. "Think we can go out and do something after that? Unless Zelda needs us for something. Which I hope she doesn't."

Link was putting on the last articles of clothing when she asked him that. He paused, and then shrugged. "Sure. But what?"

The Twilight Princess did not respond right away. She emerged from behind the changing screen several seconds later fully dressed in her royal garb, which in Link's eyes, wasn't much. Unlike Princess Zelda's elegant yet conservative ways of dressing up for duty, Midna's was essentially the complete opposite – she expressed no embarrassment from how her sarong exposed her legs, or with how little of her upper body the black fabric that tightly formed over her body covered. Princess Zelda's clothes were light and pastel colored; Midna's looked like the threads were made of shadows themselves.

Her royal garb gave her a wild, fearless look; but also awoke a somewhat protective streak in them when other people – predominantly males – laid their hungry eyes on her. They had no idea what race she yielded from except that she was mysteriously drop-dead gorgeous. That type of attention bothered him more than he would care to admit, but did not act out immaturely about it. He actually said close to nothing about it, but sent wandering eyes a strangely menacing glare.

Her hair, however, was still undone. She was raking her fingers through them thoughtfully, chewing her lip as she thought up of things they could do before she was forced to depart the realm again. "I don't know. Walk around Castle Town and see what we find?"

That sounded like a decent idea. If he wasn't worried about the reaction the people of Hyrule would have upon seeing her, anyway. Again, the thought of her walking through a crowd with a high population of males bothered him. He didn't mind her dressed the way she was around him at all, of course, but he was also not about to request her to change into something that would hide bare skin more than what she currently wore. She might get offended and hurt him.

"We could do that," Link responded with a smile. "You ready?"

"Mmhm, pretty much." She quickly pulled her hair in front of her, clipping it together in the center of her chest with some sort of hair accessory Link couldn't properly describe. They exited the bedroom together and walked through strangely barren halls, seeing the occasional errand boy or servant pass by, glancing at them oddly but briefly. They felt it was disrespectful to stare at the Hero, and especially if he was in company.

Link led the way mostly, and Midna took time to examine the reconstruction of the castle. A lot of what she saw now was utterly destroyed when she was last here. She was impressed. Princess Zelda wasted no time.

They arrived at large doors and Link briefly explained to her how she had rebuilt her library with the help of someone from The Group from Telma's bar – Shad, in particular. He wasn't sure if she was alone or not, so he politely knocked on the door. He heard voices that had ceased, and then he heard Princess Zelda's gentle voice call from behind the doors allowing him permission to enter.

Link glanced over his shoulder at Midna and then proceeded to open the door. Coincidentally, it was Shad who was accompanying the Princess, holding random large volumes of ancient research in his arms. Her eyes were focused on him at first, and then they found themselves at the open doors, where she saw Link. Just as she thought he had returned oddly fast, she noticed the woman who had emerged from behind him and her eyes widened considerably.

There was a sheepish grin on Link's behalf at her reaction, while Midna just tilted her head slightly to the side and smirked.

Shad followed the Princess' gaze and when he noticed Link, he gave him an oblivious smile. "Hello, Link. Who's your lady friend?"

"Princess Midna?" The Hyrulean Princess breathed out, astonished. "Link?"

Upon hearing the name Princess Zelda uttered, Shad's eyes also widened behind his glasses, but he said nothing. It appeared that he knew the name, meaning he probably knew the actual events that occurred on the lands of Hyrule. Zelda glanced at Shad almost apologetically.

"I'm sorry to cut our meeting short, but it seems like I have some unexpected company," she explained gently. "Would you please return tomorrow? I would be more than interested in seeing what notes of the Kokiri children you have."

"O-of course," Shad stammered in response and fixed his glasses nervously. He adjusted the books in his arms and started to quickly walk towards the door. He stopped by Link and Midna briefly, meeting eyes with Link, and then staring into the crimson eyes of the Twilight Princess. He bowed politely and walked out, Midna raising an eyebrow as she watched him depart. She then closed the door behind her.

The Princess stood up from behind her desk, the shock finally leaving her face. She was more curious now, but nonetheless she found herself to be very pleased and smiled at both of them. "Welcome back. It looks like Link's finally found you."

"More like I found _him_," Midna teased with a chuckle and eyed Link, who looked a little embarrassed but simply nodded. "Hyrule looks well."

"Mmm, yes. We are doing very well." The Princess gracefully walked away from her desk and approached the two, but kept a respectable distance. "I hope your realm is doing just as well, if not better."

The Twilight Princess shrugged a little. "We're getting there. There's still much left to do, but we are at the stage where it is deemed acceptable for me to be absent for a day at most. I return tonight; I just wanted to stop by and make sure things were progressing."

Princess Zelda nodded. "I see. It is very much a relief to see you again. Has Link told you about what he's found?"

Link was almost confused as to what Zelda was referring to, until he felt the magic pouch on his waist and he immediately recalled the items he had stored away that he found in the field. He opened his mouth to talk, but Midna let out a sigh that almost sounded whimsical and shook her head.

"No, and he had so much _time_ to tell me, too," he heard her say. "He can get forgetful."

Link looked a little alarmed. _How did she know--?_

He felt a strong tug on the pouch, and the next thing he knew Midna had positioned herself between Link and Princess Zelda. She extended an arm, her hand facing him flat, and swung her arm to the side in one swift, wide notion. The pouch opened up and the three relics flew out sharply and began to encircle the Twili, and not before long, three relics turned into four as the fourth piece appeared.

Princess Zelda was caught off guard as well. She watched all four Fused Shadows float around Midna, circling and circling, like a carousel. Midna let her arm drop.

"They were dead of magic before," Zelda pointed out, looking a little perplexed.

"I wouldn't say they were dead." The Fused Shadows circled and circled some more, until their circling finally slowed down, and they dissipated into dark particles that merged into Midna's own body. "You could say that they were just sleeping for a bit."

Link looked puzzled. "How did you know I found them?"

She cocked her head to the side. "You don't remember?"

Link was utterly unsure of what she spoke about, so he shook his head slowly.

Midna sighed. She casually walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, crossing her legs, and staring up at them almost boredly. She sighed again and held up her hand, sliding the form-fitting fabric down to reveal the claim of the Goddesses. "This stupid thing. It looks like it connected me to you. You were absolutely and, foolishly, I may add, intoxicated out of your _mind_. I tried telling you to sit down, but you were so drunk that you thought someone was hiding and talking to you. I pretty much helped you find the pieces while you were out there stumbling."

There was a long, awkward pause. Princess Zelda was mostly just shaking her head as if she were dealing with a child, and Link's eyes were shifting around the library awkwardly, until he just gave up and could not avoid Midna's accusing stare. He slapped his forehead, groaning. "I was _really_ hoping you wouldn't find out about that…"

"Honestly, Link. That was probably the lamest 'heroic' quest you've ever been on."

"Don't remind me."

"_Especially_ when you puked your guts out onto them. It's kind of disrespectful."

"I _said_ don't remind me, didn't I?"

There was a giggle coming from Zelda, and both the Hero and Princess immediately turned their heads to look at her. She stopped when she noticed their aggravated stares and coughed into her fist daintily, avoiding their gaze. "Forgive me," she said meekly. "You two are simply…a little amusing."

Link sighed and gave up. Midna huffed indignantly. "No we're not."

Princess Zelda didn't bother arguing. "Anyway, so you _will_ be taking the shadows with you, then?"

"Yep. They _do_ belong to us. We might as well keep them in our world." Midna would have to keep it more of a secret and entrust them to her mother – who knows who sought after them in her world. She knew that people from both worlds were capable of unspeakable savageries, so she was sure to be cautious about it. "Anyway, I just wanted to pop by and say hi. Couldn't visit Hyrule without visiting the beloved princess, now could I?" She grinned.

"I appreciate the thought." Princess Zelda's smile return. "I would like to discuss with you some matters, however, of the political nature." She glanced at Link, who saw him cringe a little, and then diverted her attention back to Midna. "However, I think I can wait until your next visit, when the Twilight is on more stable terms. If you are only here until tonight, then I suggest you make the best of it."

Link glanced at Zelda, a little surprised, but was nonetheless thankful. He felt a little greedy for wanting to hog Midna to himself. He knew the matters of their kingdoms were important, but he felt like a meeting like that could take Midna's entire time. If Princess Zelda thought it could wait until the next time she showed up, it would be okay, right?

_Right._

"But if you would excuse me, I have much to attend to," Princess Zelda said, walking back behind her desk. She was lying only a little. She did have things to do, but nothing too time consuming, and she just figured it would be easier to kick them out and let them have their day together than them awkwardly hanging around. "If you two need anything, do not be hesitant to ask. And try not to do anything foolish or disrupt the peace."

"We would _never_!" Midna batted her eyelashes at Zelda, and the Hyrulean princess simply rolled her eyes. Link grinned a little wryly. "Okay, okay, I get it. Scout's honor."

The pair quickly let Princess Zelda alone to tend to her own devices. She had seemed a little pushy and getting them out of her library, which didn't bother them too much. Those employed by the royal family gave them an odd passing look, but again, they did not question – anyone who accompanied the Hero that had saved their lands was assumed to automatically be acceptable and protected by Princess Zelda's hospitality. They tried to stare too much but keeping eyes off Midna seemed to be a bit of a challenge. Whether or not Midna noticed, it was hard to tell, but Link caught on easily and gravitated little closer to the princess as they walked out of castle doors and into the market.

"I forget how bright your world is," she murmured mostly to herself, squinting and adjusting her eyes to the sun's brightness and the vibrant colors that made a pattern throughout the Castle Town. "Looks more crowded than the last time I've been here."

They walked through the crowds with people quickly trying to avoid them and attend their own business, but all the while staring at the odd woman who accompanied the hero questioningly. Link moved his hand onto the small of her back, sort of directing her around, and at some point they looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Too crowded?" Link asked.

"_Just_ a little. They're not saying much, but I can feel their eyes."

"Well, we've got two options," Link proposed and took her to a less-crowded part of town. "We can either go into the field, or go to Telma's bar. It's still pretty early, so I'm not sure if she's even open…"

"It wouldn't be so early if you just let me sleep in."

Link ignored her. She glared at him. He grabbed her wrist and started to quickly weave through the throng of busy people and walked down a flight of cement stairs and into a slightly dank alley that led to Telma's bar. The door was slightly open, and he heard various voices coming from it, so he poked his head in. There were people there – customers, to be exact – so he deemed it safe to enter towing the Twili right behind him. "Guess we can just stay here for a bit and eat something."

"Think she serves alcohol during _all_ hours?"

"I wouldn't be surprised, actually." Both of them approached the bar and sat down; there wasn't anyone behind there yet, and a Goron was already tending to the very few occupied tables throughout the bar. After some shuffling noises and a few curses, a slightly agitated, grumbling Telma emerged from the kitchen doors, cursing about lazy employees.

It took her a second to recognize Link, however. Her eyes fell upon the exotic looking lady at her bar, and she blinked, not noticing how much she was staring until Link coughed into his fist.

"Oh!" the bartender broke out from her trance. "Hey, honey buns. Sorry—but who is this? Never seen the likes of your lady friend around these parts."

Midna was not ignorant to Telma's personality. She actually liked the bartender. She had mostly observed in the shadows, but she was a good person, and genuinely good to Link. She knew Telma had no idea who she was, so she wasn't bothered, but it was always odd knowing someone without them knowing you. "I'm Midna," she spoke up, completely leaving out her title on person. "A friend of Link's. I'm kind of like his baby sitter."

Link grumbled and nudged Midna a little roughly. "She's _not_. She's just a friend."

"Uh-huuuhh," Telma responded with a mischievous little grin and winked. "Well, welcome, Miss Midna! I'm Telma. I must say, honey, you're prettier than most Hylian women roaming around these streets. Where you from, honey?"

In retaliation to the nudge, Midna pulled Link's cap off his head while keeping perfect eye contact with the bartender. Link let out a noise and tried to reach for it, but she kept it out of reach, continuing the conversation. "From the Gerudo Desert. We've got some people there. We just prefer privacy."

Telma nodded, accepting that answer. She didn't imply she necessarily believed it, but she respectfully did not press further.

"Midna, give me my hat back!"

Midna ignored him and smiled at Telma, still holding his hat out of reach while he tried to move around her to grab it. She was purposefully shoving him away as much as possible. "May we please have a menu to look at?"

The bartender laughed at both of them and pulled out two menus from underneath the bar, setting them in front of the two. "Of course, hon. Take your time and let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Midna gave her a thankful nod and Telma went off to briefly attend to other customers and take orders. Link finally decided to get off the bar stool, walk over to her side, take the hat from her, put it on, and sit back down next to her, all the while glaring and pouting at her at the same time.

"You could have just said _please_."

"I don't think that would have worked the way I liked it to." He rolled his eyes at her and she grinned. He took the menu and flipped through it. "What kind of food do you have back at your world, anyway?"

"What kind of question is _that_?"

"I don't know. I've always kind of wondered."

"Shut up, Link."

* * *

They spent more time at Telma's bar than they had expected to. The food they ordered was delicious and Telma was quite the entertainment. Midna thoroughly liked her amusing, flirtatious little antics and some subjects she openly discussed made Link visibly uncomfortable and flustered, in which they both on cue teased him for. The older woman even brought Midna behind the bar, giving her a crash course into making drinks – which, funny enough, attracted more people to the bar than expected. That's when Link decided it was time for them to go.

Telma pouted. "Well, honey, if you're ever around these parts again and need a job, come over, will you?" she winked. "You could bring me some good business."

Midna couldn't help but giggle at that, and Link _sighed_ for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. They said their goodbyes respectfully and they exited the bar, finding themselves back into the streets of the Castle Town Market. The afternoon was less crowded. Morning was their more populated, busiest time. They were chatting on their way back to the castle, mostly about trivial little things.

"Midna, never become a bartender."

"Why _not_?" Midna snorted and smacked his arm a little. He gave her a look and kept walking, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest. "You heard Telma. I'm a natural."

"I think being a princess would pay better," he grumbled.

"You're weird." Midna glanced at him with a quirked eyebrow and he shrugged at her, still a little grumpy from earlier. She leaned against him a little and linked their arms together, squeezing his bicep reassuringly. "Lighten up, _Hero_. I haven't seen you in awhile, and I don't want to spend my only day with you when you're _pouting_."

"I'm not pouting!" he retorted defensively and Midna gave him a look that basically said, _you're kidding, right?_ He stared at her for awhile warily and then wrinkled his nose; the discontentment fading away eventually. He grinned at her a little. "Fine. Whatever. Want to see Princess Zelda before we leave? It's starting to get a little late." He still didn't like the idea of her leaving yet. But if she came back to see him this time, then he had no doubt that she would come back again.

Midna only gave a nod in response. They didn't have to go far, actually – it looked like Princess Zelda was already expecting them. She stood at the stairs of the castle patiently watching them approach her arm in arm. A slender eyebrow of hers raised curiously at their closeness, but she said nothing. She doubted they liked that type of thing pointed out, but the little hints she had seen throughout their interaction were confirming her suspicions even more.

"I assume you will be departing soon?" Zelda asked and walked down a few steps.

Midna slowly pulled away from Link's hold. He was reluctant to let her go in the first place, but eventually gave in. The Twilight Princess approached her opposite counterpart and pulled her cloak around her body a little more. "Yes. Do I have your permission to appear on castle grounds the next time I show up? I didn't ask this time. It was rather rude of me."

Hyrule's Princess giggled softly and shook her head, smiling warmly. "You are welcome here any time, Princess Midna. Never forget that." There was a pregnant pause, before Zelda stepped closer and embraced Midna into a tight embrace. It was a little bold, both of them silently agreed, and Midna at first didn't know how to respond. She gingerly returned the embrace although slightly confused. "Have a safe trip back. And come see us soon. We have much to discuss."

"Agreed," Midna responded with a little smile. "I'm obligated to come back. He might be crazy enough to follow me if I'm gone for too long." She motioned her head over to Link with a roll of her eyes. He didn't disagree or agree with what she said, and just shrugged his shoulders as if he was innocently going, _What did I do?_ "Good luck, Princess."

"So, how do you wanna do this, exactly?" Link asked when she walked back after she glanced at Zelda for once last time. "I left Epona around Lake Hylia. It won't take too long to walk there, but we have to worry about cannon costs and—"

He was silenced when he felt her finger against his lips. She looked slightly offended. "You're kidding me, right?"

"You don't want to walk?"

"I don't mind walking, no. But did you forget what I can do, you idiot?"

Link didn't have enough time to respond. He remembered seeing the steps of the castle and Princess Zelda standing in front of it whilst being behind Midna, and the next thing he knew he appeared in the ruins of the chamber and in the mirror's presence. Midna had not moved an inch from in front of him, and after their warping, her finger still remained on his lips for a few more seconds.

"I think somebody probably saw."

"Oops."

_So much for not wanting to freak people out._ She would always nag him about keeping a low profile and not making a scene, especially when it involved him and his wolf beast and their easy ways of transportation. "It's still early, though." Link frowned.

"I know," Midna piped up and sat down on the shallow steps, beckoning Link to sit next to her by patting the hard ground next to her. "It's just more private, I guess. Palaces aren't very good for that type of thing."

They had stayed on the steps for who knows how long, really – both of them chatting away, catching up on little and bigger things. He had told her about Ilia's encouragement in leaving Ordon to, in essence, 'find himself,' which quietly surprised Midna. She had assumed Ilia's affections towards the Hero crossed the platonic line, but it appeared to be a misinterpretation. They continued to talk until the sun started to set and the light blue of the sky faded into shades of orange and pink.

"I really missed you," Link piped up after a session of silence, both of them watching the skies.

Midna's response did not make it. The moment all five Sages appeared into existence, floating high and protectively over the mirror, the Twilight Princess stood up and turned around, harshly pulling Link with her by the sleeve of his tunic. Her eyes narrowed and her lips curled back into a scowl.

Link was entirely unsure of what the _hell_ just happened, but he didn't like it, and the way Midna got defensive had him heavily alarmed. He unsheathed his sword and kept it at his side, moving himself in front of the Princess. In a split second, energy burst out of the Twilight Mirror. Symbols glowed brightly and circled alongside other circles, and they projected on the stone slab, opening a portal to allow someone in from another side.

"Just who the _hell_ is using it?" Midna hissed quietly, watching the portal intently. She assumed the Sages appeared to lend their assistance just in case it was of the unwelcomed kind.

They saw dark particles form from the bottom, creating someone's feet, then the legs, and then everything above the waist, revealing a woman of intimidating height with amber gold eyes, skin tinted lightly in azure blue, and silver-white hair. If it weren't for the differences in the coloring of some features, and if it weren't for the vastly different garbs they were wearing – although both still relatively revealing – just one quick glance at this woman's face would have made him assume it was Midna herself.


	7. The Gods Have Slipped

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Settling for a draw tonight,  
Puppet girl, your strings are mine._

Chapter Seven  
_The Gods Have Slipped_

"_Mother_?" Midna breathed out. She was still in a defensive stance and looked utterly shocked at the other Twili who stood before the open portal.

"That's your mom?" Link blinked a few times. He hesitantly lowered his sword.

"I just said that, didn't I?" Midna smacked the back of his head, completely unalarmed now. Link let out a small 'ow' and rubbed where she had hit. "What are you _doing_ here, Mother?"

"Is that how you greet your mother, darling?" The newcomer spoke, her voice sounding oddly low for a woman and her words carried an obvious accent of some sort. She moved down the stairs, her movements resembling more of a glide than a walk, and her blue lips twitched into a smirk that looked exactly like her daughter's. "I _do_ believe you must introduce us, dear. Except," she paused, and motioned over to the Sages with her long sleeves and sighed, "for _those_ tycoons. Be gone, will you? I am no threat. Just making sure my little baby comes home safely."

Midna closed her eyes and took a very, very deep breath and slowly exhaled. It was almost embarrassing the way her mother spoke and regarded as a child sometimes, and she especially hated it when it was in front of _other_ people. She opened her eyes and glowered at her mother before diverting her gaze to Link. "Link, this is my mother. The very late – and old, I may add – former Queen of Twilight, Persephone. Mother, this is Link, the Sacred Beast I've spoken to you about."

Link gulped a little and nervously removed his cap, bowing down at Midna's mother respectfully. "It's a pleasure to, err, meet you."

Persephone raised an eyebrow at her daughter and then examined Link closely, who still had his head bowed down. She reached over and put a hand under his chin. She lifted his chin until both of them made eye contact, and after a second, a wide smile spread across her face. "I see. The blue-eyed beast, yes? Your face looks so gentle!" she laughed, and lifted a finger to stroke his cheek slowly. Link appeared a little too flustered and uncomfortable. "But your eyes are most _feral_. Yes, it is a pleasure to have finally met you, Sacred Beast. My daughter has said many admirable things about you. We are in debt to you."

Link shook his head quickly and Persephone moved her hand away. "You don't owe me anything. I'm glad I was able to help."

"Humble, aren't you?" Persephone chuckled and glanced over at her daughter. "You were right. What was it that you called him? A 'humble country bumpkin'?"

"You called me a _what_?"

"Ugh," Midna threw her hands up in the air. "_Whatever_. If it were any other person, I would find it very hard to believe that they wasted the effort of crossing worlds just to be introduced to someone. But because it is _you_, Mother, I'm not so terribly surprised. I told you I would bring him one day."

Persephone shook her head. "Tsk, tsk. See the way she speaks to me sometimes, Sacred Beast? Too bad she's too old to spank."

Link rubbed the back of his head. "You can call me Link, your highness…"

"Sacred Beast just sounds more charming, don't you agree?" Persephone chuckled again. "And please, dear, don't call me 'your highness.' I stepped down _ages_ ago. I'm our world's High Priestess. I essentially act as a vessel to our gods. It's a _much_ better deal than having to deal with the yappings of those of the royal court, you know?"

Midna rolled her eyes. She stood closer to Link and grabbed his hand boldly, her fingers curling to trap his own. Persephone glanced at their woven hands and made no effort to conceal the questioning look she had for the both of them. "One thing I forgot to mention: she talks _way_ too much."

"Oh, hush," Persephone said, waving a hand at Midna dismissively. "I would like to say that my appearance has something more to do than just being introduced to the Sacred Beast, dear. I'm afraid I will have to cut your visit shorter than anticipated." Midna began to look worried and the High Priestess quickly shook her head, beginning to explain before her daughter started to assume the worst. "It has nothing to do with our people, darling, do not worry. I've simply come to retrieve you. I've received a message from Lucifer in a dream."

The Twilight Princess bit her lip. "Lucifer?" She sounded skeptical.

"Who?" piped up Link. He was confused and didn't like it.

Persephone looked a little surprised. "Midna, dear, have you not educated your little friend here? Shame, shame. You've been around him so much. I would think you would have told him about the deities of our world."

"We kind of had other things to worry about instead of higher beings that rarely show their faces," Midna retorted dully. Link looked at her for an explanation. "Our Realm is a different world from this one, as you know. It was pre-existing when the Interlopers were banished there, and the realm already had their system of deities established."

"Like this world," Persephone began, taking over the explanation, "the Twilight realm was created by three deities. Yours are all Goddesses. Ours involve two goddesses and a god. Lucifer, being the god, was said to have been a light bearer, but was ultimately banished due to pride and a start of a war amongst his own kind. Despite that, he truly _is_ a charming fellow!"

Midna sighed, muttering something that sounded vaguely like _you would say that_. "The other two are Nyx and Breksta. They were both originally dark deities, unlike Lucifer. Lucifer knew what it was like to be banished, so he gave the Interlopers the power to make the Twilight their home out of sympathy."

"So…then Lucifer came to you in a dream, right?" Link asked slowly and Persephone nodded. "What was it about?"

Persephone looked hesitant in responding. She stared at Link, and then slowly looked over to her daughter. "That is something I must discuss with Midna back in our own realm. If she so chooses to tell you what was said between us, than that it ultimately up to her."

"Are you sure it wasn't just regular weird dream?" Midna asked, still finding it hard to believe. "You tend to have plenty of those."

The High Priestess snorted softly and narrowed her eyes. Link could have sworn he heard Midna gulp a little. "You should know better than to question me with these affairs. You have all four Fused Shadows in your possession, Midna, do you not?"

Link's eyes widened slightly, and Midna remained motionless, staring at her mother. Skepticism had gone out the window at that claim for both of them and Midna nodded her head.

"Then I recommend you follow me back into the Twilight, Princess." Persephone's eyes were still threatening, and the light-hearted, airheaded mask she had worn upon arriving had disappeared. Her eyes were cold and her face was blank. "I will allow you privacy as you say your goodbyes. Don't take too long. My patience is not infinite."

Persephone walked up the stairs and approached the portal, glancing over her shoulder once last time. "We'll meet again shortly, Link. I look forward to having you within our Palace. I think you would find the new renovations to your liking; we're not all doom and gloom like Zant had portrayed the world to be, I assure you." Her silhouette started to separate into diminutive particles that were vacuumed into the portal, and then the late Queen Persephone was gone.

Well. That was weird.

"She's…interesting," Link finally said after crickets chirped.

"Do you find it hard to believe that we actually get along very well?" Midna sighed, and Link actually _did_ find it very hard to believe that. Midna seemed so annoyed by her mother and her mother seemed to be so offended by Midna's words sometimes. "She seems to like you. I knew she would."

Link appeared relieved. He assumed Persephone did like him, but for some reason it was hard to tell. The Twili woman was _very_ odd and hard to read. "I guess…this is it?"

Midna gave him a look. "For now," she reminded him and leaned over, bumping their foreheads together. Link closed his eyes briefly. "I'm coming back. Mother already wants to bring you with us for a bit next time." He nodded. "Be careful, will you? Don't do anything stupid. At least not without me." Midna winked.

"Wait," Link called out and grabbed her hand once she started to walk away from him. His brows furrowed and he squeezed her hand a little. "We can try communicating, can't we? Like you did with me – can you do it again?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure how I did it last time. It was more of an accident than anything."

"I'll try if you try. Then I'll know what's up with you without having to come here constantly and wait for you to show up, okay?" He looked at her, stubborn and determined. "_Please_?"

Midna nodded. "I'll try. Just don't come here too often, you idiot. When I come back, I'll find you."

Link finally let her go.

"I _will_ see you later, Link. I promise."

He watched her as she disappeared back into her realm.

* * *

"Didn't I once tell you that light and shadow should never mix?" was the first thing she heard from her mother's mouth when she materialized back into her home world, where everything was dimmed and other things had an eerie glow to them. "I feel as if everything I've ever taught you has gone through one ear and out the other, Midna."

Princess Midna groaned, rubbing her forehead. "What are you talking about, Mother?" she grumbled dully and walked down the steps of the circle's platform. It was just Midna and Persephone in the chamber. They had changed the location of their mirror to the underground tunnels of the Palace to protect it from outsiders. "It sounds like you're overreacting."

Persephone was pacing restlessly, tugging and pulling at her own sleeves. "Overreacting, I am most _definitely_ not. I don't think either of you realize how much you gravitate to each other, Midna."

"He's my friend, Mother," Midna insisted, watching her mother move around in disarray. "And you've only seen us around each other for several minutes. You are being far too quick to judge."

"And you are far too ignorant about your feelings, dear," Persephone spat out irritably, her golden eyes narrowing at her child. "Proud, just like your father was. Or simply just willing to look the other way when something so obvious such as this stares at you right in the face. If the Sacred Beast wants a princess of his own, he already serves one in the World of Light. He has no business with you."

"Overreacting," Midna repeated. There was a bit of a song as she said that.

"And then we have that cursed _mark_ on your hand," Persephone continued and finally sat down on a throne made out of stone and glowing symbols. It was her personal throne; the one she used to connect with _other_ beings. "Lucifer came to me. I have the worst feeling that power was not bestowed to you by the Goddesses."

That…sounded troubling. Midna kept quiet, letting her mother's words sink in. She pulled the fabric off her hand and examined her mark. The words repeated over, and over, and over, while Midna flexed her fingers. "So, it wasn't the goddesses who marked me, is what you're saying."

"Yes, Midna."

"Are you sure?"

"I dare not question Lucifer's omens. Why would those Goddesses bestow something of theirs on someone who doesn't even dwell on their lands, Midna? It doesn't make a lick of sense." Persephone shook her head and looked at her daughter gravely, who kept staring at the three triangles connected on her hand. "It unsettles me, Midna, and worries me deeply. We haven't received a sign from the gods in a long time. Not even when Zant took your throne."

Midna said nothing. Her eyes were transfixed on the triforce.

"Midna?" Persephone looked at her daughter in concern and ultimately broke her concentration. "Are you alright?"

The princess nodded and pulled the sleeve up her hand again to cover the mark. "Did Lucifer suggest any way to remove it?"

"No, he did not."

"Then he shouldn't be complaining," Midna snapped harshly and glared at her mother. "Cryptic messages never help the situation. They just fan the already blazing flames."

Persephone was quiet when Midna exited the Chamber Room, absolutely bewildered. It was the first time she heard anyone – _anyone_ - refer to their deities in such tone and sass, and it just continued to feed the mass of worry that would not just leave her heart.

* * *

_Midna wasn't sure where she was. It was some unnamed forest territory in the Twilight with the expected trees and stream of water, and flowers only native to the Twilight realm that bloomed in brightly glowing colors. She looked dazed and transfixed on nothing in particular, and her feet dragged as she walked until she fell onto her knees. There was a lovely flower in front of her and she smiled as if she was drunk and gently pulled the flower from its roots._

_The flower died instantly._

_What was once a forest terrain was no longer; it wasn't earth and grass beneath her knees. It was damp cobble stone, hard and cold against her skin, and instead of vast and endless lands, there were solid walls of rock._

_Midna didn't look so dazed._

_"What in the name of…?" she whispered to herself, dropping the wilted flower to the ground. She stood up and she immediately identified her surroundings like some sort of prison; like the dank dungeons that were hidden in the sewers of Hyrule's Palace._

_"It's a pleasure seeing you awake, Princess."_

_Midna's heart sank. She turned around and expected to see a wall, but in place of the wall that she knew was there before were prison bars. There was another cell across from her that contained a man heavily armored with blood red eyes matching hers, and a twisted grin she could never forget. _I'm dreaming_, she tried to convince herself, blinking and squinting a few times as if that would help her prove he was an illusion. _I have to be_._

_"You're dead."_

_Ganondorf laughed at her words and cocked his head to the side. His large hands wrapped themselves around the prison bars. "Look at me, Princess Midna. Look at me _closely_. Do I look dead to you?"_

_The temperature in the cell felt like it dropped and Midna felt goose bumps rising on her skin. She scowled and tried shaking the prison's bars itself, but nothing budged. "What _is_ this? What's going _on_!?"_

_The next thing she knew, the bars from both prison cells disappeared and the two rooms had become one. Ganondorf was towerinf before her, and then she found herself slammed against the hard walls and pinned by his large body._

_"Tell me something, Princess of Twilight," Ganondorf murmured in a low, dangerous voice. She had her eyes closed the entire time. Struggling was an option unavailable to her. Her body felt paralyzed and stiff, and no matter how much she screamed at her body to move, it stayed put. But she could feel large, unwelcome hands roam her body without permission. He was subtle in his invasiveness. His hand only briefly brushing under her skirt, and he followed the flow of her curves all the way up to the side of her neck. "Do you still deny me, Princess Midna?"_

_His fingers moved away from her neck and cupped her cheek, and she felt his hot, fire-smelling breath against her skin. He kissed her neck and she felt like she wanted to die._

This cannot be happening_, Midna kept telling herself over and over in her mind. _This cannot be happening. For the love of the gods, Link, if you can hear me…

_"Well, Princess?" he repeated and shoved her against the wall a little more to push a response out of her. She felt his rough lips against her neck again, she felt his sharp teeth and his disgusting tongue. And no matter how much her knees wanted to buckle and collapse, she _still could not move_._

_She heard a chuckle from him, a low vibration of his throat, and she felt his lips peel themselves off her skin. "This is so unlike you, Twilight Princess. You have quite the mouth on you. I'm almost disappointed. I know you're stronger than this. I _want_ you to deny me, Princess."_

This can't be happening, this can't be happening...

_"Deny me like you once did."_

_Midna's eyes snapped open, and red eyes met red eyes once again. She narrowed hers._

_And then promptly spit in his face._

_"Trust me, Ganondorf," Midna breathed out, unsure as to why her voice sounded hoarse. "I will do everything and anything in my power to deny you. And don't you forget it, you _bastard_!"_

_"Then I assure you, Princess Midna, that this will be quite the battle between you and I."_

Princess Midna awoke in her own bed startled out of her mind and dripping in cold sweat. Her body jerked and she sat up and quickly started wiping all the spots she remembered Ganondorf touching her as if there were actual parts of him clinging to her skin. She panted heavily and looked around her bedroom, until the realization finally came.

_It was a dream_.

A stupid dream.

"Damnit," Midna whispered to herself and buried her face into her hands, ready to tear her hair from its roots. She was safe in her bedroom, in her very own kingdom, and she was the only one in her bedroom and Ganondorf's hands were definitely _not_ on her, no matter how real it felt, despite the fact that she still had a pang of fear twist and deepen in her gut.

It had been several days since she had last seen Link. Her mother had stopped pestering her for the most part, even though Link was often a popular conversation topic between the two of them. Talking so much about him made her uncomfortable and with the way Persephone spoke, she always wanted to aim the conversation in a particular direction, and it was something Midna was _not_ ready to talk about. She wasn't sure if she would _ever_ be ready.

Midna pulled the blankets off her and walked over to her vanity mirror. She poured some fresh water into a basin and started to wash her face, still feeling miserable from waking up. She had been having dreams lately but none she could really remember, which bothered her to a mysterious extent. This one was the first she could remember in awhile. And she shouldn't even be calling it a dream – it was downright nightmarish.

It wasn't uncommon for her to have terrible night scares about what had happened to the Twilight - _anyone_ would have terrifying nightmares if they saw what she saw. Nightmares of her people turning into shadow beasts, and how much it hurt her to help Link completely obliterate them even though it was for the best. Nightmares of the day Zant approached her with malice, and not the familiarity she had grown accustomed to as she aged. Nightmares of something happening to Link, especially with the way he would so foolishly sacrifice himself. Nightmares of the empty shell that Princess Zelda was when Ganondorf had taken possession of her, and nightmares of Ganondorf himself – the puppet master behind the entire thing. The one that had made Zant dance to his evil song and commit acts in his name, claiming to be a _god_.

Midna suffered through her dreams in silence. They were only figments of imaginations and flashes of old memories, and they were nothing particularly new. She often woke up bothered by them, but she shook the negative feelings off as the day progressed. There was no use in lingering on things that she couldn't control.

But there was something undeniably different and disturbingly eerie about this dream, because it didn't feel like a dream at _all_. The environment was surreal but she remembered his presence feeling as real as ever.

But she was convinced Ganondorf was dead.

He absolutely _had_ to be.

She quickly bathed herself in her private bath room, cleansing herself of the sweat and the imaginary grime she still felt from the dream. It was refreshing and had served in waking her up more, and she proceeded to quickly dress for the day.

However, there were several knocks on her door and Midna sighed. "Already?" she murmured to herself and glanced at her reflection in the mirror one last time, adding some finishing touches to her hair. _It's too damn early for this_. "What is it?" she called out as she approached her door.

"Your highness, I believe we have a bit of a situation on our hands…" The voice resembled that of one of her mother's apprentices; a shy and quiet sorceress in training by the name of Daphne. Midna frowned and opened the door, seeing the young girl bow nervously at her appearance. "Your mother, the High Priestess, requests your presence at the underground chamber."

"And why is that?" Midna inquired, staring down at the girl.

"I-I think it's best if you just come down and look—"

Midna interrupted her by raising her hand. Daphne immediately shut up, and Midna gave her a warning look. "Simply tell me why she needs me, and then I will determine if she needs my presence or not. My mother can be a bit of a flake, if you've not noticed."

Daphne took a deep breath and closed her eyes, dabbing her fingers together nervously and muttering something about a fascist feast and pampers.

Midna didn't get it. "Excuse me?"

Daphne cracked an eye open, and then opened her other eye, inching back into the hallway. "Someone came through the mirror. The High Priestess claims that it's the Sacred Beast, and is holding him still until you arrive."


	8. Unspoken

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Just a dying faith,  
On a heaven's gate._

Chapter Eight  
_Unspoken_

Midna arrived to the underground chamber by magic alone. She wasn't patient enough to go there by feet and used her magic – amplified more with the triforce – to materialize into the chamber. She saw her mother kneeling on the ground and her friend garbed in green clothes laying on the floor with his head on Persephone's lap, unmoving.

"What did you _do_ to him, Mother?!" The Princess shouted and quickly sprinted over, falling onto her knees once she got close.

Persephone winced at her shout and glared at her. "It was an accident, Midna." She sounded tired and guilty and looked away, staring onto Link's unconscious face. "I did not know it was him. I didn't think he would use the Mirror, for goodness sake! Didn't you tell the boy to wait there until you returned for him?!"

"Of _course_ I did. He listened before!"

"He surely did not this time," Persephone replied sourly. "He's alive, do not worry. He's just unconscious. It might take a day or so for him to awaken, but he'll be in some pain."

Midna scowled a little and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him up from his mother's lap. The Hero was limp in her arms, but she saw the rise and fall of his chest and it gave her a sense of comfort. There were no visible wounds on him either. "I won't even ask what you did to him. But if he came here defying my wishes, then he probably did it for a good reason."

Persephone repressed a sigh and simply shook her head. She rose to her feet, noticing Daphne finally arriving at the entrance looking unsure and afraid. "I'll arrange a room for him."

"Don't bother." Midna remained on the floor still holding Link's upper body up with her arms. She didn't look at her mother and just occupied herself in shaking Link's head and slapping his cheek for some sort of reaction. There was nothing. "I'll take him to my quarters."

Persephone looked alarm. "Midna, I don't think that's appropriate."

"No, I think it's _very_ appropriate and for the best. The news may spread of his arrival, and even though the people don't seem too riled up about the concept of a Light Dweller saving them, I won't risk their reaction when they do discover that there's a Light Dweller within the confines of the castle walls. I'll make sure he's safe until he awakes."

"You would trust that man in your quarters?" Persephone asked, narrowing her eyes.

"And you wouldn't?" Midna looked over her shoulder, wanting to explicitly scream and call her mother a moron, but she refrained. "I trusted him with this realm, and our people, and my life. I don't see what's so ridiculous about having him stay in my room."

"That's not what I meant."

Midna ignored her. "Meet me in my quarters. I'm going to warp him there, and I _do_ have plenty of meetings throughout the day, Mother. You're going to stay by his side and make sure he's safe. Understood?"

Persephone did not have the opportunity to respond. Midna had warped herself and the unconscious Hero within the blink of an eye, and she let out an aggravated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Daphne, darling, I must cut our lesson short. I do apologize."

"Are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you, High Priestess?" the girl offered politely.

"Unfortunately, no, child." Persephone chuckled and reached over, ruffling the girl's hair affectionately. "You are a kind one, and unafraid to show it. I dearly wish my daughter turned out the same. Instead, she's a damned hellion."

Both laughed lightly, and then Daphne bowed respectively and excused herself. Persephone closed the large doors of the chamber and sealed it without a lock or key, but power alone, and traveled up the spiral of stairs that led above ground to another pair of large, intimidating doors. She opened those and once again closed them and made her way to the level of the castle where only the royal slept. It was a level that Midna and her parents had once shared, but ever since the death of the Twilight King, Persephone had refused to sleep in the bedroom she once shared with her husband. That bedroom remained locked and untouched and Persephone made herself comfortable in the depths of the underground chamber where her sleeping quarters were cleverly hidden.

Now it was only Midna that slept on this level. She had not changed rooms since growing up, as the space she had was more than enough. Her father had definitely made sure. Persephone walked through the corridor, not even sparing a glance to the doors of the bedroom she once shared with her beloved husband and reached Midna's doors and knocked. Midna was stingy when it came to privacy and during puberty she had gone through a phase where she would yell at anyone that entered her bedroom without knocking, including her mother. She remembered the King being alarmed and aggravated, but she soothed her husband, telling him that it was just a girl thing – she was the same exact way growing up.

"Come in," she heard Midna say from the other side and entered. The Princess had closed the curtains and already laid the Hero in her bed, covered up in her blankets and surrounded by a plethora of pillows for comfort.

"Making him comfortable now, are we?"

"I owe him, as it was my _mother_ who knocked him unconscious."

Persephone sighed. "You're going to hold a grudge on me for awhile on that, aren't you?"

"I _could_," Midna muttered and sat down on the bed beside him, watching him. Her fingers reached over to tenderly brush strands of hair from his closed eyes. "But I won't. I've woken up on a bad note and my morning started out with him coming here unexpectedly, so forgive me if I'm temperamental."

The High Priestess approached the bed quietly. Watching her daughter look over him like that was foreign to her. She always had suitors knocking on her door as she got older, and a topic of marriage was often brought up, but Persephone and her husband were never the types to force something like that on her. Midna was a heartbreaker – she never gave anyone a chance, and crushed their hopes under her feet without mercy. She was always more focused on her studies in politics and history and magic than acting her age.

Persephone and her husband often had to wonder just who, in the end, would end up taming the wild beast inside her. She just never thought it would be someone like…_him_, and she was certain that both of them were utterly oblivious of this.

The late Queen reached over and brushed her fingers through Midna's bright hair gently, her face softening. "He'll be fine, dear. You have duties that call out to you. I'll make sure he's well."

Midna nodded. "I don't know how busy I'll be, but I'll make sure to stop by and check on him." Her responsibilities were something she could not cast aside, no matter how much she wanted to at this moment. But she was more than certain that Link would end up fine. She just really wanted to know what could have possessed him to cross worlds without warning.

"Don't want to make the court wait, do you now, honey?" Persephone pressed a small, affectionate kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Up, up, dear. Duty calls."

Midna couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile at the same time. She stood up and squeezed her mother's hand before sparing Link one last look, and exiting her private quarters.

Persephone took the spot Midna had occupied on the bed and sat right next to Link. She watched him curiously and frowned, moving her hand on top of his. "What have you two kids gotten yourself into?" she whispered quietly, still looking at Link, even though she knew he was very much unconscious.

"You two have set yourselves up for tragedy, and I don't even think you are even aware of it."

* * *

The numbers of the Royal Court of Twilight had diminished after Zant's take over. Many were killed by him on the spot in defiance, but most of them were turned into the Shadow Beasts to unwillingly do Zant's bidding. Some of them fell at Link's sword and Midna's magic, and others managed to survive. Although those weren't many, they still actively spent the majority of their time dealing with economic recovery and the rebuilding of their world. They haven't had the time to elect new members to the court. They had decided they were still a little too unstable to hold elections, so they had held it off.

Midna, however, enjoyed the smaller number of members. The usual court size was just _gargantuan_; there were about seventy members and she remembered, often being by her father's side, how things often did not get done with so much debate and division going on. Now the size was reduced to about twenty, but with everyone of diverse beliefs and morals, which was interesting and not as annoying. They were more focused on the people that needed them and not their personal agendas.

Most of their meeting included a summary of things that had happened and how things were progressing and a discussion of what still needed to be completed. Plans to restore villages that were still in dire need were heavily spoken about and help for those families that were still separated from each other were still in the works. They had gotten far since they had started and they all were aware that even though things were going well, it would still be a slow progression until they were fully back onto their feet.

"Other than that, I do believe that's it," said Minerva, one of the council members, with a small smile gracing her face. She was a woman very well respected – wise, calm and collected, and was excellent at planning ahead. She was one of the taller Twili, and had eyes like Zant's in the fact that they were only yellow with no pupils. "Is there anything anyone else would like to contribute for today's meeting?"

Midna was the one to clear her throat, immediately catching every council member's attention. "Actually, I have an announcement to make. Possible controversy might allow this meeting to run longer than expected," she warned, leaning back against her tall chair at the end of the table. "So bear with me, please."

Every council member remained quiet and watched their princess. "This morning, our High Priestess encountered someone crossing into our realm from the Lands of Light." Midna saw her council member's troubled faces and she held a hand up, shaking her head. "Don't be alarmed; it was no one threatening. I'm sure you are all familiar with the Hero I had spoken to you about? The one that turned into the Sacred Beast and helped me free our home?"

They all exchanged glances and nodded, a little wary.

"He's here?" spoke up a male council member, Caleb, narrowing his eyes. "Was he _invited_?"

Midna shot him a sharp look and he looked away. "The plan was that I would go back to his world, and escort him here. Personally. However, before the High Priestess realized it was the Sacred Beast that had crossed over, she attacked him and, essentially, knocked him unconscious."

There were a few giggles and snickers amongst the court.

"That…sounds like your mother, yes," Minerva said. She was one of the few not amused.

Midna sighed. "Sadly, yes. He's unharmed, but it will take him some time for him to recover from whatever my mother did to him. Because of his unexpected arrival, there is a chance that there might be something wrong in the Light World."

"Have we become allies to the Light World, your _highness_?" Vesta, another member, questioned with an icy edge to her voice. "Because I must be the only one who can't recall that treaty passing."

Caleb nodded his head, suddenly finding the guts to look defiantly at his monarch.

Midna was very much trying her best to not throw things at them.

"Do not _forget_," Midna began, standing up from her large chair. Her eyes met those who looked at her questioningly, and in Caleb's rebellious case, defiantly, "that this Light Dweller helped us in our most darkest of times. Without him, we would still be under Zant's rule and you would _all_ be enslaved to him."

They remained quiet as she spoke, asserting her authority.

"And do not _ever_ forget that it was the leader of that world, the Hyrulean Princess Zelda, who lended me her _essence_ to allow me to carry on and help the Hero save us. We are in debt to them."

Members that were skeptical succumbed to her reasoning. She was absolutely right, even if the thought of mingling with those of the Light just seemed _wrong_ to them, like they had disturbed the balance of things.

"So, will you introduce us to the Hero once he recovers?" Minerva asked, removing her glasses from her face. "I personally would like to give thanks to this Light Dweller myself." Her eyes narrowed at the rest of the council members. "Because I would _not_ have liked to remain under Zant's thumb."

"Agreed," Cheron spoke up, playing with his pen. "I mean, really guys. We do owe the guy. Zant was a jackass."

The majority of the council members laughed, even the ones who seemed hesitant about the Light Dweller in their lands. _That_ relieved Midna greatly. Minerva gave her a sympathetic look. "Then whenever he is ready, I will introduce him, and then perhaps reveal him to the public. I'm sure they would be welcoming."

"You better hope so," Caleb grumbled.

Mani smacked him with a scroll. "Would you _shut up_? I will shove an arrow up your butt."

Midna felt like she was dealing with twelve year olds sometimes.

"This meeting is officially _dismissed_," she announced in exasperation. The members gathered their things and quickly dispersed, murmuring and talking amongst themselves. Minerva remained. She put on her glasses and looked back at Midna with a sympathetic smile.

"Another day, another asshole?"

"Pretty much."

Minerva chuckled and leaned against the table. "I really am looking forward towards meeting this Sacred Beast, though. Who would have thought it would also be some Hero from another world?"

Midna shrugged.

"So what's he like?"

"Hm?"

"The Hero, silly." Minerva raised an eyebrow. "Your mother told me she met him when she went to get you."

Midna did not like where this could potentially go. "Don't bother with anything my mother ever says. She's going senile. I promise."

"She's just worried about you, you know," Minerva spoke quietly, frowning. "Mostly of what--"

"You're scheduled for a meeting with the guards alongside Mani," Midna interrupted and gathered her belongings. "At this rate, you will be late. I advise you that you don't end up tardy."

Minerva took a deep breath. "Okay," she said in obedience. "I won't be. But remember that you've still got a friend in me, Midna. We grew up together."

The Princess simply needed and left the court room, leaving Minerva to watch her childhood friend exit through the doors with melancholic eyes. She sighed, shook her head, and left as well, taking a different exit.

* * *

_This cannot be happening. For the love of the Gods, Link, if you can hear me…_

He knew it wasn't a dream when he heard that, because when he heard that he wasn't asleep or even close to dozing off. He knew it was her from the sound of her voice, unique and high pitched, but desperate and pleading. He knew it absolutely, positively _had_ to be her, so he wasted no time in traveling to the Mirror Chamber, back into the haunted wastelands of the Gerudo dessert, and using the portal to cross worlds – even if she had explicitly told him to stay put, to wait here, because she was coming to get him.

All bets were off.

What he didn't expect, however, was to be completely conked out by a very surprised Persephone.

He stirred from where he was laying. He was somewhere soft and warm, like a bed, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. The darkness behind his lids disappearing and he awoke to a dimly lit room with woven tapestries and portraits, and volumes of books and decorations that he wasn't sure even served a purpose. He blinked his bleary eyes and tried to sit up, but there was some sort of shock that jolted through his body. He let out a small cry and laid back down, wincing.

"I certainly did not expect you to recover so quickly, Sacred Beast," he heard a familiar, low voice accompanied with an unrecognizable accent speak. Persephone advanced to him from standing by large windows with dark curtains and she sat on the bed. "You should rest. That little pain will last for about another hour, but at your rate, it might be less than that."

Link groaned. His eyes narrowed at the High Priestess, and he started to slowly sit himself up, the jolt of pain making another course through his body, but he was prepared for it this time. He ignored it, even though pain was written all over his face. "W-where's—where's Midna? I need to—to—find her. _Now_."

Persephone raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately, my dear daughter is practicing her political duties as ruler. She was here for a little bit before she had to leave again. What is it that you need from her, Sacred Beast?"

Link was really wishing she would stop calling him that. He sat up more, grunting. "She's—she's okay?"

The High Priestess looked confused. "Well, yes, of course she's okay. Why wouldn't she?"

Link fell back onto the bed and buried his palms into his eyes, letting out another pained groan. "Are you _sure_?"

Persephone snorted, although she looked highly concerned. "Absolutely. Why do you ask that?"

"I could have sworn I heard her," Link murmured and pulled his hands away, letting them fall onto his sides. "I heard her ask for my help. She sounded like she was in trouble."

"I don't understand."

He raised his hand to show her his triforce. "It's this. Midna's got one too. It's probably why I'm healing faster than you're used to. It sort of allows us to communicate without being by each other, but we usually do it by accident. I could have sworn she was asking for my help…"

"Were you dreaming this?"

"No. I was awake. I wasn't even dozing off. And I heard her as clear as day; she needed _help_."

"So you came here to make sure she was safe," Persephone concluded. Link nodded.

Persephone sighed softly. He was courageous to a fault, she observed, especially when it came to her daughter. "You go through great lengths to keep my daughter safe."

Link didn't say anything.

"Why _is_ that?"

"Because she's my friend," Link muttered and glanced at Persephone, who still didn't look convinced. "My best friend, actually. Not really sure how that happened, either. No offense, but your daughter is the bossiest thing that ever existed."

Persephone smiled wryly. "I know."

"Why are you asking me all this?"

"You two are so bizarre you don't even know it." Link looked confused at her words, and Persephone continued. "My daughter has never, ever let another man come close to her – she had always had a plethora of suitors. Well-educated, well-trained men of the Twili with prestigious backgrounds that went after her when she was of an acceptable age. Midna never once batted an eyelash at them. She never once gave them an opportunity. She never once said a kind word to them."

_Yep, that sounds like Midna_, Link thought.

"And then she meets you." Her face hardened. "A simple country boy that herds _cattle_. A simple country boy from the world next to this one, a boy from a different race, with nothing to his name but a horse. She learned to want to protect you. She holds your hand as if were the easiest thing in the world. I don't even think she notices."

Link said nothing.

"And you do the same," she continued, her voice softening, and she shook her head as if she was defeated. "You get an inkling that she's in danger and you do the first foolish thing that comes to your mind – you cross into unknown territory without thinking of what could meet you on the other side."

"Is that bad?" Link asked in a whisper.

"Light and shadow cannot mix," Persephone said, her voice sounding like a plea. "There is a difference between co-existing and mixing the two, Link."

"But _why_?" Link retorted defiantly and started to sit up again. The shocks of pain were beginning to dull, but were still ever present. "Who says they can't?"

"It's just the way things are, Link." Persephone bit her lip. "I thank you for all you have done. I thank you for saving our people, our world, and looking after my daughter. I thank you for saving her _life_. But you two cannot do—cannot do _this_. Whatever you two have, it cannot be anything more than simply allies. One day she might be courted, Link – and the Twili will only accept someone of the same race."

Link's face hardened, and he narrowed his eyes at the High Priestess. "Are you going to ever tell her what you just told me?"

"I'm hoping I will not have to," Persephone responded carefully, looking at the Hero sadly despite his cold stare. "This type of relationship will only stress her out as a ruler, and will give her an ultimatum: you, or her people. Make that decision for her, Link, for _both_ of your sakes."

Link said nothing. His eyes were feral, but his face was still.

"She's coming," Persephone announced and stood up, bowing her head. "Please don't ignore what I've told you." She tried to make eye contact with him, trying to make him realize that she really _did_ want the best for them, but he looked away and fixed his glare elsewhere.

Right as she turned around to leave, Midna entered her quarters, and her face lit up when she saw him sitting up and awake. "You're awake," she whispered, relief in her voice. Her mother simply gave her a nod before exiting and departed wordlessly, closing the doors behind her.

Midna quickly approached him and sat down on the bed, and pushed their faces together to give him a kiss on the forehead. "What the hell are you doing here, stupid?" she murmured softly, holding his face into her hands. His glare vanished and he looked at her sheepishly with a splash of guilt. "I _told_ you I'd come back for you."

"I had to make sure you were okay." He winced a little as he fixed himself to be more comfortable. "I heard you."

She looked confused. "You heard me? What the heck are you talking about?"

"I _know_ it wasn't a dream because I wasn't sleeping," he started indignantly. "And I know it couldn't be anyone else, I know it was _your_ voice. You said my name and then you said something how something couldn't be happening."

Midna tensed. "You…heard that?"

His face was still trapped in between her hands, but he looked up at her worriedly. "Your mom said you were okay, but…"

"I _am_ okay."

"But you said that, didn't you?" Link insisted and grabbed her wrists gently. "What happened? Because apparently your mom doesn't know. And I don't want you to keep things hidden from me, Midna. You _always_ do."

She shook her head a little. "I…don't really know, Link." Her voice sounded tiny and her hands fell from his face. "I really can't tell you, because I really don't _know_."


	9. Enjoy the Silence

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_All I ever wanted,  
All I ever needed,  
Is here in my arms.  
Words are very unnecessary.  
They can only do harm._

Chapter Nine  
_Enjoy the Silence_

"What do you mean you don't know?" Link still held her wrists with his hands even if they were off his face. She was looking unsure and almost guilty, and he definitely knew that something was bothering her. But getting the truth out of her was equivalent to pulling teeth off a horse.

Midna shook her head a little and tried pulling her wrists free from his hold, but he wouldn't let go. He wasn't holding her painfully tight, but tight enough to keep her in place. "It's nothing serious, I think. I just…had a bad dream where I was calling out to you, okay?" Her shoulders shrugged. "It must have creeped me out so much that it triggered something."

"Will you tell me what the dream was about?" Eventually he loosened his grip and she pried her hands from him, folding them onto her lap.

"It's not a big deal, Link. Dreams are just dreams."

Link frowned. She was being evasive on purpose and it bugged him way too damn much. He _hated_ it when she kept things from him. He knew what her favorite color was and how she liked her coffee made, but anything else concerning her affairs or her past was simply foreign to him. He always had to ask and even if he did, there were just still some things she wouldn't say.

"Is it so hard to be honest with me?"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't see how I'm not being honest with you, Link. It's really not a big deal, and I don't want you worrying about trivial things."

"I don't think it's so trivial," he responded with a shrug. He was going to be just as stubborn as she was, maybe even a little more. "You had a nightmare that scared you enough to make a connection with me. Maybe the nightmare was important or had a meaning to it, or something?"

"Again. Dreams are dreams."

"And how about the dream your mom had?" Link inquired further. Midna narrowed her eyes at him. "Sent by that one guy—Lucille?"

"Lucifer."

Link grunted. "Close enough."

Midna's face soften and she sighed. "Fine. You want to know about my dream?" Link's face softened as well and he nodded. He started scooting to the side more to make room for her, and she got the message without words and pulled herself onto the bed more, sitting next to him so they were shoulder to shoulder. "It's stupid, though."

Link snorted. "So?"

She tried not to elbow him like she usually did. He already got enough damage from her _mother_, of all people. She gave him an annoyed look and fiddled with her sleeves. "It had it do with Ganondorf," she murmured quietly. "He was alive. He wanted to provoke me."

"Provoke you? How?"

Now Midna looked uncomfortable. She opened her mouth, trying to find the right words on how to explain it, but nothing came to mind. She knew that it shouldn't be embarrassing to just explain it to him, but she couldn't get rid of that shameful feeling, so she shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

Link didn't get it. He watched her, perplexed, and he tried to read her. She was nervously fiddling with the sleeves of her garb and she would avoid eye contact with him, shifting her eyes onto random things in the bedroom that held no great importance. He wasn't sure _what_ could have happened in the dream that bothered her so much that she couldn't talk about it.

"Are you sure? Talking about it might help, and—"

She made him shut up.

She made him shut up by _kissing_ him, no less – a gesture lead by random desperation alone. They had never discussed their 'relationship,' or whatever it was they had going on between them. Neither of them really knew how those feelings came to be, or when things changed, but they did and they weren't sure how to bring it up, or if they should ever even bring it up to begin with.

Her hands were grabbing onto his face, and his hesitance did not deter her. She simply intensified the kiss, and he had no other option by going on instinct alone and returning it. He had never been kissed before. He's had a kiss to the cheek, a kiss to the forehead, but never something intimate like this, and never on the lips.

Midna was _definitely_ asserting a kind of dominance that was different than her usual bossiness; it was frisky and utterly sensual, and part of it had awoken a challenged component inside of Link. The angle they were at was awkward, so his hands grabbed at her waist and she was forcefully pulled onto his lap. She straddled him for comfort and both pulled away from each other, gasping for air.

This time, it was Link who initiated the kiss and she moved against his lap, a little high-pitched, breathy moan escaping her mouth. He forced his tongue into her mouth while she grabbed at his tunic with a hand, while the other one had found itself into his unruly hair so she could tangle her fingers in.

They were both getting excited quickly. The kissing continued with a passion that refused to die and their bodies were moving in response to the tingling sensations they were feeling. Her body had begun a slow, steady grind against him and his moans were muffled against her open mouth¸ and his hands had slid up her legs and to her thighs for him to squeeze.

But this _was_ going too fast, they both knew, and Midna was the first to tear herself away. They were both out of breath and still had their eyes closed with their foreheads pressed against each other's. Both of them waited until they caught their breaths to speak.

"Sorry," whispered Midna, her eyes fluttering open slightly. His eyes opened too, and she was greeting with a wry smile.

"Don't be," Link said, leaning in forward again, and he pressed a series of small, broken kisses against her lips.

The kisses were definitely returned, but Midna had a little more self-control this time, despite how she was still straddling him, and how she was pressed and molded up against him. "I _should_ be," she said with a smirk, her voice low and husky. She pressed a finger against his lower lip. "I'm taking advantage of the wounded. I should be ashamed of myself."

He rolled his eyes. "Look at me. This is me being totally offended."

They both stayed where they were comfortably. She refused to leave his lap entirely, which at first was a little…_odd_, especially with how easily excited he got and how obvious _that_ was. Midna knew it. She felt it. It made her gloat on the inside. Link did not mention anything out of sheer embarrassment, and Midna was kind enough to understand and not point it out.

She had her arms loosely wrapped around his neck and her fingers played with his hair. His own hands were at her thighs and he toyed with the edges of her skirt, but with no sensual intention in mind; these were mere gestures of comfort for both of them. Eventually, she sighed and lowered her gaze to his chest, and he watched her, confused.

"In the dream, he was alive even though I was sure he was dead." She closed her eyes. Link listened, the movements of his hands stopping. Midna was still playing with his hair as a nervous distraction. "I don't really know how it happened, but he tried to provoke me by…forcing himself on me. It was his way of proving he was stronger than me."

Link said nothing. She opened her eyes but didn't look up at him. "When I woke up, you have no idea how _disgusting_ I felt. I couldn't fight back in the dream. And it felt like I still had _him_ all over me." Midna involuntarily shuddered and she felt his arms encircle her waist and pull her even closer protectively. "I told you it was stupid."

"Hey, listen to me." Link grabbed her chin gingerly but forced her to look at him, and she was staring at him stubbornly as if she wasn't bothered, even though she knew she felt sheepish and embarrassed. "It's _not_ stupid. I can completely see why you're so creeped out."

Midna huffed and pulled her face away. "Whatever."

Link sighed. "_Why_ are you so difficult?"

"I'm _not_," Midna insisted defiantly and pulled his hair harshly, earning a yelp and a glare on his behalf. "Anyway, subject change. I've informed my court about your arrival."

"Is that good or bad?"

"I still have to figure that out. A good amount of them are curious about you in a good way. The other half…eh. They're still skeptical."

"So, you're introducing me."

"That's the plan, yes. Then we can send you off back to your world."

Link frowned. "I can't stay here longer?"

"I would feel more comfortable about you visiting more often when my kingdom fully recovers," Midna replied with a sigh, giving him an apologetic look.

He couldn't argue with her on that. He would never make her choose her people over him and even though he really would like to visit more often, and _soon_, he would wait until she gave him permission.

He thought back to the words Persephone had confessed to him and he tried not to let him bother him too much. Who said shadow and light _couldn't_ mix? He would never deliberately put Midna in a position where she had to choose, and he would make sure of it.

He broke out of his thoughts by Midna waving a hand in front of his eyes. He looked a little surprised, and then smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Daydreaming?"

"Not really."

Midna shrugged and pressed a quick kiss against his nose before she peeled himself away from him, and crawled off his lap. Link watched her approach a vanity mirror to fix her slightly awry hair and raised an eyebrow. "Hey…is this your room by any chance?"

"Mmhm," she responded, running a comb through her hair as she faced him. "Why?"

"Just curious." He blinked, gazing around some more. It was very spacious for one person – he almost dared say it was as large as his entire _tree house_ back in Ordon. It even had a fire place of its own with large, comfortable chairs and a low table in the center.

His curiosity amused her a bit. She chuckled softly and set the comb down, walking back over to the bed. "Are you feeling better?"

"Actually, yeah." He moved his arms around a bit and wiggled in the bed. The random shocks of pain had finally ceased, and he was _very_ relieved. "Whatever spell your mom attacked me with was a pain in the ass, though."

"You're lucky that it was the _only_ spell she attacked you with." Midna grumbled. "Mother can be a bit of a…spazz, sometimes, I guess. But since you _are_ feeling better, get up and come with me. You're probably hungry. We can dine with the court so you can finally be introduced.

Link nodded and kicked the blankets off, swinging his legs off the bed and planting his feet onto the onyx floor. He stretched and tested his muscles out for extra precaution, and once he was satisfied he stood up and went over to the table his belongings were placed at, putting everything back on. "Think they'll like me?"

"You saved them, Link." Midna watched him re-arm himself. "They have to like you to some extent."

* * *

The palace had definitely changed during his last visit – which was to come here and defeat Zant, anyway. Instead of being barren and void with life, it was rebuilt and re-decorated to express life. The floors were aligned with exotic carpet and there were statues and portraits of the royal family painted and hung on the walls. Odd plants in fragile vases sat on intricately carved end tables, and he could hear the faint trickling of water from the various indoor fountains that were spread out throughout the confines of the castle.

Entering the Dining Hall was honestly intimidated. Before entering Midna had explained that this was separate from the _Royal_ Dining Hall, which was only meant for the Royal family. It had gone unused essentially since the death of her father, and she and her mother had become accustomed with dining with the court when they stayed in the castle. Many of them lived outside of the Palace itself, but often stayed as guests to complete work that had to be done.

Princess Midna entered with Link by her side, and once the people in the room heard the doors open, they automatically snapped their attention to them both and stared. Uncertainty was a common feeling amongst all of them, but they slowly began to bow down respectfully to their ruler, except for the princess' own mother, who watched the two warily.

"Good evening," said Midna aloud. No one responded. Link gulped nervously and looked at Midna, who faced them with a calm, collective composure. "As I announced at today's meeting, we have a bit of a visitor. This is the Light Dweller that I've spoken to you about; the one that took it upon himself to help me free the Twilight. His name is Link."

A few murmurs broke out amongst the council members. Some turned to each other, and others couldn't tear their eyes off the Princess and the Light Dweller she called the Sacred Beast. Link was obviously uncomfortable but tried his best not to show it, and Midna's expression never changed.

One man stepped forward from the long dining table and approached the two. He looked middle-aged, but never the less had the sparkle of a mischievous boy in his eyes. He bowed respectively to the Princess and turned his attention to Link, holding his hand out to shake. "Welcome, then. I am Cheron. It's good to meet the Hero who helped us get rid of Zant. He was a _real_ asshole, if you couldn't guess. Really creepy too." Cheron was unusually rather casual for someone of his status. He didn't need formality to get his point across.

"No kidding," piped up Minerva with a small laugh. She followed after Cheron and smiled at Link. "Hello there. I'm Minerva; an old childhood friend of the Princess, actually. It is a pleasure to finally met you – we are in your debt."

Link sheepishly shook Cheron's hand, and then Minerva's, shaking his head. "A pleasure to meet you guys, too. And I'm just glad I could help. No need to owe me or anything."

More of the members became courageous and approached Link. Some introduced themselves politely even if they were still skeptical. Others remained where they were, planted in their seats, and watching them closely with wary, aggravated eyes. Midna generally ignored them after giving them a sharp look, and then led Link to the table after all the introductions. As head, she sat at the end of the table with Persephone to her left, and Link seated to her right.

The food was served, and much to Link's undying curiosity, he was disappointed to find out that the food here was pretty much the same back in Hyrule. She saw his face and she rolled her eyes, suppressing a giggle, and he just passed her a wry grin. Wine and fresh water were also served and the Twili often liked leaving their water untouched and went straight to the wine. They had talked amongst themselves, really – some council members asked Link questions politely, attempting to include him in their conversations. He mostly spoke when spoken to, still rather shy and unsure around them, but they didn't mind.

Midna had been uncharacteristically quiet during the dinner. No one had really tried including her into any conversations and she looked like she did not mind at all. She contented herself in listening, sipping her wine slowly. Persephone had been quiet as well, mostly talking to Minerva who sat beside her. Link tried neglecting Persephone's yellow eyes on him the entire time and refusing to make eye contact was a challenge, especially with the High Priestess sitting across from him the entire time.

_I'm not doing anything wrong_, Link tried assuring himself.

At one point throughout their dinner, Caleb had cleared his throat a little and met eyes with Link, who was diagonal from him. "So, Mister Link – if that's okay to _call_ him that, your Majesty?" He looked at Midna, batting his eyelashes at her obnoxiously.

Link quirked an eyebrow and Midna paused from drinking her wine. She gave him a look that clearly said _shove it._ "You may call him what he wishes to be called, Caleb. And the next time you look at me like that, I'm plucking each and every of your lashes _off_, understood?"

Silence had permeated through the room. Caleb twitched at her words, and then looked over at Link, his eyes expectant.

Link coughed into his fist a little. "Link will do just fine."

Minerva and Mani started to groan.

"What brings you to the Twilight, hmm?" Caleb questioned. "Rumor has it you weren't supposed to show your face until the Princess escorted you."

_Well, aren't you just a piece of work?_ "I had something to tell her," Link said calmly, his face hardening. Caleb raised an eyebrow. "Concerning private matters, of course."

"Private matters?" The Twili snorted and crossed his arms. "Or are we talking about _personal_ matters here? Your kind should mingle with just your own, _O Sacred Beast_, and you leave ours be."

"Caleb, that's _enough_," Persephone spat. Midna was now glaring at him, as was Link.

"Well, _sir_," Link began calmly, an edge of sarcasm in his tone. "If it _were_ any of your business, I'm sure the Princess would have already said something to you. But because it's not your business, and it will never be your business, and no matter how much of an obnoxious pain in the ass you're being to make it your business, it's going to stay _our_ business. I don't understand why you care so much, anyway, unless you're jealous of how she chooses to confide in me instead of someone like you?" Link shrugged and put his eating utensils down. Midna almost spit her wine out. "Regardless, you're just making a genuine ass of yourself right now, so you should probably stop it."

Everyone at the table stared at Link with opened mouths.

"Just saying." He shrugged.

Cheron started to laugh. _Hard_. Caleb was absolutely stricken, and slammed his hand down at the table. "Now, wait, you listen here—"

"I think I should probably excuse myself from the table so he can stop making an ass out of himself," Link abruptly said and stood up. "It was a pleasure meeting you folks." He took his cap off to bow respectfully, and then departed from the dining hall.

"Could you be any _more_ of a dumbass?" Cheron expressed loudly. "Seriously? Who hired you?"

"Way to go," Minerva scowled.

The Twilight Princess pushed her chair back and rose to her feet, finishing the remainder of her wine with one last large gulp. "Enjoy the rest of the meal, everyone." She set the wine glass down and met eyes with Caleb, who cringed under her stare. "You will meet me in my private office tomorrow. Apparently I must reprimand a little boy who can't control his tongue. You've become a disgrace to the council, Caleb; another outburst will cost you your position."

An awkward silence fell upon the council members, and Midna turned around and left the dining hall, closing the doors behind her.

It didn't take her long to catch up to Link. She was surprised at his strangely calm outburst at the table, and she found it simply _admirable_. She almost thought Link would have been too timid to stand up for himself and that she would have to put Caleb in his place, but he did that much better than she ever could, and with a sense of freakin' grace to it. He really must have pushed Link's buttons and it made her boil on the inside a little.

"Where do you think _you're_ going, Hero?" Midna called out and Link stopped walking, turning his body slightly to face her. "You probably don't even know where you're going."

"You're right," Link admitted, slumping his shoulders. "I don't." He looked away from Midna's gaze in guilt. "Sorry about that. I should have—should have control myself better. I didn't mean to upset anyone."

"No one cares if you upset Caleb, Link." The Princess sighed. She moved her hand under his chin to bounce his head a little, and he finally managed to look at her. "Actually, I'm impressed. The man is a genius politician, but a giant jerk."

"I noticed," Link said sourly.

Midna leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the lips, but Link found himself eagerly leaning in, prolonging it more than she had intended it to be. She broke away and looked around warily – there was no one. "Careful. I don't want anyone seeing us."

It didn't dawn to him now that they were officially sneaking around.

Midna led him back onto the floor with the royal quarters and they entered her gargantuan bedroom. She closed and locked the doors behind her, and Link immediately started removing any excess weight off his body – the sword and shield, in particular.

"Mother was strangely quiet," she randomly pointed out. "She usually talks up a storm during dinner. No one can ever get her to shut up."

"Oh," was all Link responded with. His body momentarily tensed at the mention of Persephone, and her words still continued to echo throughout his conscience.

_Light and shadow cannot mix._

_One day she might be courted, Link – and the Twili will only accept someone of the same race._

_This type of relationship will only stress her out as a ruler, and will give her an ultimatum: you, or her people. Make the decision for her, Link, for both of your sakes._

"You alright?" Midna's worried voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, and she was leaning against the locked doors with a frown. For some reason she just looked…sad to him.

He walked up to her and kept her pinned against the wall and his body, trapping her all for himself. His hands gripped her hips and he pressed his nose against hers, grinning up at her. "Yeah. I'm okay."

He had lied to her. She was fooled and they engaged themselves into another kiss.

They really had set themselves up for a tragedy.


	10. Candy Lies

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_There's always another wound to discover.  
There's always something more you wish she'd say._

Chapter Ten  
_Candy Lies_

_"I hope our previous encounter didn't give you mixed signals, princess," she heard a deep voice speak. She couldn't see his face yet, but she knew there was a wicked smile playing on his lips; she could see it in the eye of her mind. "You're quite attractive for a ruler of a race so weak. Having you helpless in my hands, I don't know – it feels _good_."_

_Midna hissed and opened her eyes. Ganondorf was staring right at her and she saw the smile that she had imagined, poisoned and dripping in pure malice. "You're disgusting," she whispered hoarsely. His crooked smile grew and she struggled against shackles that entrapped her wrists. "And you're dead."_

_Ganondorf sighed and leaned back. He gave her a disappointed look and shook his head as if were expressing disapproval towards a misbehaved child. "We've discussed this. I thought you were smarter than this."_

_"I also thought you were deader than this, too."_

_He barked out a laugh and she scowled. He grabbed her chin with his large, dark fingers and Midna just _hoped_ he moved his hand closer to her mouth so she could tear into him with her teeth. "You're quite the catch, your _highness_. I couldn't have picked a better candidate."_

_"Candidate?" Midna looked weary and pulled her face away from his hands. He let his arms fall back to his sides. "Candidate for what, exactly?"_

_Surprise lit up Ganondorf's eyes. "You haven't figured it out yet?"_

* * *

Midna's eyes snapped open.

She and Link had shared her bed. Their new discovery of a different level of intimacy hadn't interrupted their usual nightly routine – at least, not yet. He had his strong arms wrapped around her from behind and he slept soundly, unaware of Midna's startled awakening. He was usually the one who would wake up first, but it was Midna's turn. Her heart was beating at an alarming rate and she let out a quiet sigh, rubbing her hands against her face.

_It was just a dream_, Midna told herself over and over. _Just a stupid dream._

Midna started to slowly and carefully untangle herself away from Link. Slithering out of his embrace was easier than she realized, but that was most likely due to the fact that he had gone to bed absolutely exhausted. She was quiet as she scooted off the bed and she turned her head to watch him. He was snoring lightly, completely unaware of the world and she smirked. Part of her wanted to be a pest and wake him up, just to see how _he_ liked having his extra five minutes of sleep robbed from him.

Luckily for him he looked too damn cute when he slept, so she had mercy on him. She gathered her robe and pulled it on and walked through the velvet curtains to her own private bathing room. Unlike Midna, Link had the luxury to sleep today, as he technically _was_ a guest in the palace. But Midna had duties she had to oblige to in the morning, so sleep was more of an elusive goal for her.

She went through her usual routine of bathing, but she found herself scrubbing at her skin a little harder than usual. The dream had given her a sick feeling, like there was something crawling under her skin that she couldn't see. The dream hadn't scared her like the first one, but this one just made her feel uncomfortable. Her reasoning behind it was that, hey, she was dreaming about Ganondorf of _all people_. Of course she was going to feel uneasy.

Midna toweled off quickly and slipped her robe back on. She walked through the curtains again, rubbing the towel against her hair to dry it off quickly, when she noticed Link had finally awoken. He still looked drunk off sleep but he slowly started to sit up when he noticed her.

"Hey," he spoke up drowsily and stretched his limbs. "Where are you going?"

"Getting ready to do my necessary duties, unfortunately." She set the towel down by her vanity mirror and walked over, her hair still damp and fashioned in a mess of wild waves, and she plopped herself down next to him, jabbing a finger against his chest. "And I was expecting to have _you_ sleep in."

"I don't think I should," Link whispered. He sounded unsure.

Midna snorted. "What do you mean, you shouldn't? You're a guest here, Link. You're _my_ guest. So if you want to sleep for the entire damn day, then you will." She paused. "Of course, assuming if I want you to sleep the entire day, too, but semantics, semantics."

Link didn't say anything and avoided her eyes. Ever since the dining hall incident last night he didn't feel all that welcome, even if it was the princess who was showering him with hospitality. Some of the other Twili were nice and he was thankful for that, but there was still just that feeling that he was unwanted and looked down upon within the palace walls.

There was a spark of protectiveness that ignited as Midna observed him. She sensed his uneasiness quickly; it practically oozed from his pores. She moved closer, still only clad in a robe that tied in the front and she pressed a soft kiss against his ear, and then slowly slid her lips against his cheek. "They'll come around," Midna whispered to reassure him. Link closed his eyes and Midna grabbed his chin to turn his head so she could kiss his mouth quickly. "Don't worry about it. If they try something, I'll beat them up."

He snorted. "Wouldn't they accuse you of playing favorites?"

That actually made Midna pause. He had a point.

"That's…true," she admitted slowly. "But I won't _literally_ beat them up, even though I might really want to. It would be uncharacteristic of me _not_ to assert my authority over someone who is acting unacceptable. And I'm sure I won't be the only one jumping in if someone disrespects you again. Caleb doesn't have many admirers within the court, although he's something of a war hero amongst our people."

"I just don't want to get you in trouble." Link pulled his face from her hands and looked away again. He had some sort of indescribable expression Midna couldn't understand. All the words Persephone told him went through his head again and he closed his eyes, sighing. "You should probably get ready. I don't want to make you late for any of your meetings."

_I just don't want to get you in trouble._ He _would_ say that. That selfless prick.

He felt her shift against him and the bed. "It's not your responsibility to keep me out of trouble to begin with, Link. I'm a grown woman. If I get in 'trouble' for whatever reason, I will accept responsibility accordingly."

Link glared at her. "So if that happens, am I supposed to sit there and just watch you get all the crap for it? No way, Midna."

"_Why_ are we even talking about this?" she let out a frustrated groan and got off the bed. "Let me handle this the way _I_ handle it, okay? I don't need you trying to play protector with me."

He looked utterly bewildered and he kicked the covers off himself, following her example by standing. "You can't honestly expect me to sit back and let you do that. That's just stupid!"

"No, I _know_ you, Link." She put her hands on her hips and stared at him with hard eyes, and Link glared at her defiantly. "You're going to start taking more responsibility on your shoulders than you should. Politics are my field of expertise; slaying giant lizards clad in cheap armor are yours. Keep to your side and let me handle the sharks."

"Oh, _I'm_ taking more of the responsibility? Are you even listening to yourself?"

Midna rolled her eyes and turned around. "Whatever, I'm done." She grabbed her hairbrush and stood in front of the vanity mirror and started to run it through her hair furiously, glaring at her reflection the entire time.

Link was still standing and watching her, folding his arms. They were both silent and still angry at each other, and to an extent, just plainly frustrated at themselves. Maybe Persephone's words were finally getting to him. He didn't know. But if they were, they sure chose the wrong damn time to start plaguing his thoughts. It wasn't going to be the last time he would hear Persephone's opinion either and he knew that, and avoiding her while in the palace, he suspected, would be near impossible.

Once she was done with her hair Midna slammed her brush down and stomped over to her closet, swinging the doors open. She still said nothing to him. She didn't even _look_ at him. It was finally beginning to bother him, and his anger was beginning to dissipate. He also knew very well that Midna was the hotheaded one of the two, and calming her fires down was going to take longer.

"Midna," he called out. She said nothing and deliberately ignored him, searching through her closet for something to wear.

"Midna," he repeated. His voice was rose louder. Her response was slamming her closet doors shut.

_Damnit_, he cursed mentally and went over, grabbing her arm to turn her around. "Would you just listen to me? Please?"

"If you don't let go of me," Midna warned, her high-pitched voice sounding dangerously low and she shoved against him roughly, "I will _make_ you let go of me."

This was why neither of them ever wanted to say anything. This is why they both tried to never, ever bring up or point out anything that went on between them. There were problems. There were factors that they each had to consider to make this work, and some factors worked _against_ them, not with them. It was so much easier to play innocent and pretend like there was nothing.

But they both knew they would have to face it at some point. Midna definitely was not ready to.

Link said nothing to her warning and just stared sternly at her. In exchange she glared furiously, her hand twitching with the desire to strike him in the face, but some unidentifiable reason held her back. He was tempted to call her threat a bluff, but he wasn't about to test her. That would simply provoke her into a new depth of rage he wasn't sure he could drag her out of.

"You are absolutely _infuriating_." Midna seethed.

Link did not look offended. "You're not the easiest person either, you know." He still refused to let her go. He grabbed her other arm and she allowed him, but her glare was still fixated on him. He knew she was going to be stubborn. "Look, we'll talk about this some other time, okay? I know you're stressed out. I don't want to stress you out even more."

"Who says I'm stressed?"

"Don't even start that. You said you know me? Well, guess what? I know you too." Her glared faltered for a bit and he finally let her arms ago, but he moved his hands up to cradle her face. "More than you give me credit for, considering you keep almost _everything_ from me."

That did it. He saw the flash of guilt in her eyes and a very slight, very small wince. It served only as a confirmation. "I don't want you mad at me. We need to talk when we're _both_ clear in the head." He felt her slowly relax; a sign of her anger slipping away. His words were finally sinking in.

Midna finally let out a sigh and he knew she wasn't angry at him anymore. He gave her a weak, almost sad puppy-styled smile that he knew very damn well she couldn't resist and bumped their foreheads together lightly.

"You're also absolutely obnoxious." She murmured quietly and grasped at his shirt, pulling his body closer to hers. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that's a very unattractive trait?"

"Nobody's ever called me obnoxious before until now." Link grinned crookedly and the princess giggled as she kissed his chin.

"Oh, shut _up_." Link couldn't take a hint and was about to open his mouth to say something, but Midna beat him to it by kissing him. For some reason it took him by surprise even though, when he thought about it for about three seconds, it was becoming Midna's trademark method of effectively silencing him.

It worked.

There was one thing that Link was beginning to learn about Midna, and that was her ability to completely and utterly _seduce_. The kiss started out slow and steady, but heavy and thorough, and he was just now becoming completely aware of the fact that the _only_ thing covering her slender body was the thin, satiny embroidery of her robe. She was pulling him against her as she slowly started to walk backwards, keeping their lips connected and moving hungrily against each other. She pulled him and they fell back onto the bed when she felt the bed frame against her legs.

That was unexpected to Link. He thought fast and caught himself mostly by his arms to avoid crushing her with his weight. He almost thought of pulling away to ask if she was fine, but her actions spoke louder than anything as she continued to kiss him, their lips only separating for quick gasps of air. Their situation was almost comical. They fought and glared daggers at each other and the next they were completely weak in the knees and entangled by instinct alone.

Link grabbed her hips and hoisted her up onto the bed more so he could actually climb on, and this gave her an opening to hook her legs around his waist to trap him against her. She had no intention of releasing him and he was more than gladly to obey. Her hands made themselves home against his body as they roamed him, her fingers sliding up his sides and under his shirt. Her body arched into him and he moaned against her lips, becoming rather aware how her robes were coming apart to fully expose her.

That was he stopped. The piece that had held her robe together came undone and Link felt and saw more than he ever would have thought, and his body ached and _screamed_ at him to not stop. Midna was underneath him and a step away from being completely unclothed, panting and squirming and legs already coiled around him and he was _stopping_. He wasn't sure if the heat he felt on his face was due to all their moving or if it was because he was absolutely and positively _shy_ now.

Yes. After all that, he chose _now_ to be shy.

"What's wrong?" Midna asked as she caught up with her breath, her voice husky and low and Link wanted to kiss her to take her breath away again.

He wasn't sure what to tell her. He avoided eye contact and hoped he didn't look too embarrassed. "You might as well laugh at me."

Now she was confused. She blinked at him and gripped his chin gently to get him to look at her, but he was stubborn. "What do you mean?"

"Should we take this…a little more slowly?" Link suggested sheepishly and slowly met her gaze, his cheeks reddening a little more. He felt absolutely and positively _stupid_. now. "I've—I've never done this, obviously, and I'm still getting used to—"

She silenced him with a kiss again, but instead of one that was hungry and almost predatory, it was unusually soft. It didn't last long, and once she pulled away she pressed a finger against his lips, smiling up at him adoringly. "All you have to do is ask."

And she didn't even laugh at him. That was surprising. But it relieved him greatly. Midna actually found it strangely adorable no matter how sexually frustrated he was getting her. She knew his body yearned otherwise; she felt him against her and the way he would grab at her said it all. It was nice to know that chivalry really wasn't dead after all.

He kissed her nose as he started to get off her. Her long legs released his trapped waist and he politely looked away when she pulled the robe closed again.

"I'm going to get dressed," Midna told him and he nodded. Once she was, ah, _decent_, she grabbed his face to kiss his forehead affectionately. "I can't really determine how busy I will be today, so I don't know when I'll see you. Do not be intimidated and feel free to roam the palace. You _are_ my guest, and anyone who will treat you otherwise will be facing me. Understood?"

He nodded obediently.

"Good pup," she piped up with a teasing smirk. She patted his head and gathered her clothing to change behind the curtains of her bathroom.

_Yeah, she's going to be the death of me._ Link grinned and shook his head.

* * *

After Midna had dressed herself appropriately she left her quarters, allowing Link to do as he pleased. He quickly bathed and pulled his tunic back on, chainmail and weaponry and everything, and then hesitantly left Midna's bedroom. The floor her room was on was amazingly massive in size. He was tempted to say that Princess Zelda's castle was equivalent to a doll house in comparison.

She had told him that she was the only one that ever slept on that floor. Persephone stopped using her bedroom when her husband died, so the doors to that room were sealed with a massive padlock in the front. This particular floor was decorated with painted portraits of the family that drew out an imagery of their history. He glimpsed at them barely when he was with Midna, and he felt almost uncomfortable examining them one by one with her for some reason. He always waited until Midna was ready to talk about her personal life. Otherwise, he felt as if he was invading.

There were plenty portraits of Midna during her younger years. Seeing images of her at that age was almost surreal to him. She was an absolutely adorable looking little girl and even looked almost dangerously innocent, and her mother looked nearly exactly like Midna did now. He thought the silvery white hair was due to age, but Persephone fashioned the color even as she was holding a young Midna.

The powerful and disturbingly intimidating man painted on many of the canvases simply _had_ to be her father. It looked like Midna received her scintillating orange hair and crimson eyes from him – the shades were identical.

"The King looks somewhat terrifying, doesn't he?"

Link jumped before turning to see who the voice belonged to. He was concentrating and lost in looking at all of the family portraits that he was easily startled when she approached. He was relieved to see it was just Minerva; he remembered her name and face simply because she was so kind and accepting towards him during the dinner last night.

"King Hades is said to be one of the most beloved rulers of the Twilight," Minerva continued to elaborate and stood by Link, staring up at the portrait of the King sitting on his throne with the former Queen by his side, and a toddler-sized Midna laughing on his lap. "When he was assassinated, we suffered a a tremendous loss."

He raised an eyebrow. "He was assassinated?"

Minerva nodded. "Even though he was loved by many, he was targeted by very few and dangerously talented enemies."

"Was it Zant?"

"It's been suspected," the Twili woman shrugged her shoulders. "The Princess was holding an investigation before her throne was stolen and we were taken over. We'll never know for sure."

"How often _do_ assassination attempts happen here, anyway?" Link inquired and glanced at Minerva. "Midna always told me that the people here were passive."

"For the most part. But we have our special eggs out there, just like everyone else. It especially happens during a time of stress and controversy." Minerva sighed. "The one that occurred a few weeks ago was orchestrated poorly, luckily. We can usually stop it before someone gets hurt."

Link felt his blood run cold. "There was…an attempt?"

She looked faintly surprised. "She didn't tell you?"

Link shook his head.

Minerva bit her lip and looked away. "I apologize. Maybe she didn't want you to know."

He closed his eyes and sighed. She didn't tell him. She completely neglected to tell him something important like _that_, and he definitely knew it was not a matter of just simply forgetting about it. "I'm glad you told me." He couldn't even say if she was going to tell him in the future. With her, you never knew. She was predictably unpredictable.

"She probably doesn't want to burden you."

"It's stupid." Link opened his eyes. "She always keeps things hidden from me."

"The princess has always been an exceptionally proud woman. Even as a child." Minerva approached another portrait. It was of a young Midna and numerous Twili adolescents crowding around, and she smiled a nostalgic smile. "She's not used to help, and she's already entrusted you with so much. She needs to deal with problems by herself again."

"You grew up with her, didn't you?"

"I did," Minerva passed a glimpse at him and then back at the portrait. "Although, I'm a couple years her senior. The Royal Family has always been good to me and mine. Princess Midna and I studied politics while we were growing up; my mother was part of the court, and my father was just a guard here. I was picked on as a child a lot, and Mid—I mean, excuse me, the princess, pardon me--was the one to put them in their place. I was a little shy back then." Minerva hadn't called her by just her name alone in such a long time. Midna had distanced herself the day her father was assassinated. She took the reigns of her responsibility as the ruler once she was appointed and went straight to business and formality.

"…hey, wait a minute." Link blinked in confusion and pointed at her, finally noticing something. "Are you even supposed to be on this floor? I could have sworn Midna said something like this level of the palace was restricted."

"Well, yes." Minerva grinned somewhat mischievously. "Who do you think sent me here with permission to make sure you were doing well?"

Midna had brought Minerva to the side privately and entrusted her with Link for most of the day. She didn't want him by himself – something about him being alone when some of the Twili thought ill of him utterly bothered her. Minerva was trustworthy and was one of the members of the court that had expressed respect and kindness to Link, and she would never forget that. Minerva gladly agreed and didn't question as to _why_ Link was sleeping on the Royal Floor instead of the Hall of Guests. She had a feeling Midna would smack her verbally. And maybe even literally.

Minerva had decided to give Link the tour of the palace, from the court yard to the dining halls, to the empty court room that plenty of the meetings were held in and even to the kitchen where the dinner was cooked. He saw a plethora of Twili, some looking similar to Midna, and some looking vastly different in other ways. They both ate breakfast and lunch, and Link was very much loaded with questions that Minerva was more than happy to answer.

He was a very sweet boy, she observed, and genuinely had a good heart. She could completely and utterly understand why Midna held him in such high regard. He could be a little clumsy and a bit awkward, but that just seemed to add to his charm. Link had a similar opinion about Minerva and he actually felt comfortable around her, despite the other not-so pleasant looks he received from the people that roamed the castle halls running errands and doing their jobs.

It was nice having someone who didn't want to kill you by just looking at you.

"Remember when you mentioned the assassination attempt?" Link spoke up in the middle of their conversation, sitting himself down on one of the benches. They had decided to roam the courtyard again; he found himself simply captivated by all the odd flowers that naturally glowed. He had never seen anything like it. It was also quiet and devoid of people and it made him feel more at ease. "The one that happened a few weeks ago, apparently?"

The Twili nodded. "Yes. What of it?"

"What happened, exactly?"

She was expecting this to be a topic of conversation. Minerva sighed and crossed her legs and hesitated before ever responding. She had to pick and choose her words carefully to explain it right. "There was a riot in the middle of the city that rests on the feet of the palace. But before I continue, you have to understand something, Link. What Zant and that vile monster did to us completely and utterly destroyed the hearts of our people." She bit her lip. "We're not all that known for rebellions, although we've had a few. Families were torn apart, and some people never saw their loved ones again because of the take over. Many felt abandoned with Princess Midna disappearing, and when she came back, some were angered, still refusing to see the truth behind everything."

Link remembered the day when he found out the beasts they were slaying were actual citizens of the Twilight. He still didn't know Midna's true position amongst them, but realizing he was killing _people_ put the burden of bloodshed on his hands. Midna had convinced him that it was necessary and that they would never be the same, but it still had him numb inside when he faced them.

He could only imagine what she felt.

"She felt as if it was her responsibility to disperse the riot, so, the princess, being exactly who she is, went in and tried to ease them. It worked, up until the point where she was hit with an arrow."

"She was actually…hurt?"

"Yes, but as you can plainly see, she's alive. The wound wasn't anything fatal. Apparently the riot was to bring her out in the open, distract her, and kill her," Minerva concluded bluntly. "If the criminal's aim had been accurate, it could have been possible."

"I still can't believe she didn't tell me," he whispered quietly, staring at his brown boots with furrowed brows. Her never telling him anything always aggravated him to no end. He was tired of secrets.

"May I ask you something?"

Link nodded. He was still staring at his boots in thought.

"What are you to the princess?"

_Okay, wasn't expecting that question…_

Link's head snapped up and he looked at Minerva's hard stare with slightly widened eyes. "Huh?"

"I don't think I can be any clearer in my wording."

It was a short question, but loaded with answers he wasn't sure were true or that he should even reveal. What he was to Midna, and what they actually _were_ was something they hadn't discussed openly. They touched upon it briefly in the morning, but that turned out into a full-blown argument that tread destructive waters.

"We're just friends," Link replied after a period of silence. He could tell she didn't look convinced and he just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why anyone would think differently. We've just been through a lot together, so I think it makes sense for us to be pretty close."

Minerva seemed to relax, but only slightly. "I see. You _are_ the Sacred Beast. Given her title, it does make sense that you two are so close."

"You mean her title as a princess?"

The Twili laughed lightly and shook her head. "No, no, not that title. She's never told you about how she was chosen to rule over Zant?" Link shook his head and looked mildly aggravated. It was just another thing Midna had just coincidentally neglected to tell him. "After King Hades passed, the duty of ruler was expected to fall on Zant's shoulders just by the rules of the court alone. The princess was still too young. There's a law, however, that overrides the decisions by the court. Under the deities of this world lie the Shadows that mingle with us Twili and are in charge of certain…things, so to say."

Minerva decided to preserve the more elongated explanation of the Shadows for a later time, since Link looked a little lost as to what the hell she was talking about exactly. "Basically, their voice is viewed higher than the law of the court. The princess met one of them once upon a time, and the Shadow gave her a title. _Potnia Theron._"

Link's eyebrow rose. "That sounds like a plant." Minerva tried not sigh.

"It translates to _Lady of the Beasts_, oh dumb one," said a voice all too familiar to them. Minerva and Link immediately looked behind them and saw the Twilight Princess approach them; barefoot, beautiful and absolutely amused. Minerva rose to her feet and bowed to her highness, while Link stayed where he was stubbornly, looking up at her like an angry child.

"Nice face," Midna responded sourly at Link's stare. He made a small 'hmph' and looked away. "Did someone pee in his breakfast this morning?"

"Not that I remember tasting, no." He scooted away from her slightly when she sat down next to him.

Midna now just looked at Minerva incredulously. "Okay, I'm lost. Mind explaining to me why he's acting like a baby?"

Minerva gulped awkwardly. "I think it might have to do with me telling him things that he felt you should have told him."

There was a small pause. Midna let out a small 'oh.' "Is that it?"

Link gave her a weird look. "What do you mean, 'is that it'? Of _course_ that's it!"

"Quit acting like a baby, Link." Midna grumbled and shot him a glare that he more than happily returned. She looked up at Minerva, wincing a bit. "Can you leave us alone for a bit? It looks like I need to do damage control. You two gossip about me way too much. Last time I'm _ever_ leaving you two alone." She was mostly joking.

Mostly.

"Absolutely, your highness," Minerva bowed again for the sake of being polite. "Good luck. Maybe I'll finish the story some other time. I must go see if my husband returned, anyway."

In a matter of seconds Link and Midna were left to their own devices. Link still looked irritable and dejected, while Midna was _trying_ to think up of something that would make it up to him. She was currently coming up with nothing.

"We need to talk," was all Link said as he continued to avoid her eyes.

"I figured." Midna said as she involuntarily cringed, rising to her feet. She was dreading this. He seemed quietly infuriated at her and that worried her more than she would like to admit. "But if we're going to talk, I suggest we do this in a more private setting."

Link nodded and got up, still saying nothing.

Midna sighed. "You're going to scold the hell out of me, aren't you?"

"Sort of."

_Great_, she thought irately to herself and warped them back to her private quarters.


	11. Two For Tragedy

**Author's Note: **Sorry for anyone who gets a double alert about this chapter. is being wonky and I'm dealing with the support team right now due to being unable to properly load new documents/chapters onto my document manager. Hence the later chapter. Yeah...sorry about the double alert again.

* * *

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_If we can't find a way out of these problems,  
Then maybe we don't need this._

Chapter Eleven

_Two For Tragedy_

"Apparently there's a lot of stuff you _haven't_ told me," Link said when they had materialized into her bedroom. Midna went over to quickly lock the already closed doors. "And I really hate having other people tell me things I should hear from you."

She rolled her eyes and turned around to face him, looking completely unamused. "You make it sound like I have some sort of conspiracy planned up to keep you out of the loop."

"Sometimes it feels that way, yeah."

"That is _not_ my intention," Midna insisted vehemently and narrowed her ruby eyes at him. Link did not look so convinced and she was growing irritable. "It's nice to talk to someone about other things besides doom and gloom, you know. I don't even know what Minerva _told_ you to get you so bratty on me."

"The assassination attempt?" Link pointed out.

Midna rolled her eyes again. "That was _hardly_ an assassination attempt, Link. The idiot who fired that arrow thought that he could kill me. _With a single arrow_," she made a point to emphasize. "It obviously didn't get far, and here I am, standing and breathing in front of you." Link's hard stare would not leave her. "It was more insulting than painful, and would you stop looking at me like that?"

"Regardless, it would have been _nice to know_. I hardly ever know what's going on with you."

"I'd rather not bother you."

_So Minerva was right._ "Is that what this is about?" Link appeared offended. "You not telling me anything so you won't _bother_ me? How could you even think that?" His last words came out more as a hushed whisper. His brows furrowed and his eyes glazed over with hurt. "You're my best friend, Midna."

Things were beginning to spin out of control, even though Midna was always aware that the moments they had between them where everything was perfect and nothing was said were only quick and fleeting. Now that they were crossing certain lines and were unable to ignore certain things, it was all erupting before them. The problems they knew they were going to face were rising faster than she could have ever anticipated.

There was an unsettling silence. Midna was unsure what to say, how to respond, and didn't even know where to start, but Link's eyes refused to leave her. She knew he was waiting for her to say something, to say anything, but she couldn't think of anything, so she remained silent.

What Link had to say next was something she did not want to hear.

"What if we can't do this?" Link asked quietly. He watched the princess' eyes slowly enlarge as he sat down onto the bed.

Maybe Persephone was right.

_Make that decision for her, Link_.

Maybe they really couldn't do this.

"Don't say that," she replied, her voice cracking a little. Link wasn't used to her sounding like that and it tugged at his heart. He regretted opening his mouth and saying anything. Midna swallowed the knot forming in her throat. "If this is about me not telling you anything, I can fix that." She tried to sound calm and collected, but he could hear the shakiness in her voice as she spoke. "Just…don't say that."

But it _wasn't_ just about her constant tendency to keep things from him. It was about every damn thing. It was about the World of Light and the Twilight. It was about the mirror, about Persephone, about her throne, about her people, about the difference in race – absolutely everything. And it wasn't like they were both ignorant of this; they had known this from the start. Yet they were the fools who ignored it to have just a few selfish moments to themselves.

Midna nibbled her lip and pulled on her long sleeves, nervous. She found herself grasping for anything, maybe a solution, maybe a little glimmer of hope from him, but he just continued to stare at her grimly. There wasn't a solution either of them could think of.

_Make that decision for her_.

Persephone's words would not stop going through his mind. It was her confrontation with him that had become a catalyst to all this. She was the first person to bring the subject of _them_ into the realm of words, a topic of conversation, and the more it was mentioned and referred to, the more it became a tangible problem that forced them to deal with it. Midna's voice was pleading and he didn't know if he should comfort her or continue to stretch the gap between then.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, just to exhale slowly.

"When can I go back to Hyrule?"

The Twilight Princess felt her heart begin to crack, pieces of it being chipped away with his words. She looked at his face, trying to read him, and hoped to the gods that guarded the Twilight that he was joking. That he wasn't _serious_. That he didn't mean to say what he just said and that he would take the words back. But with the way he was staring at her with cold blue eyes and a straight face, something told her that the gods were not on her side.

Midna slowly and hesitantly started to approach him. She couldn't keep a steady face, and hurt was just written all over her. "You said we needed to talk, right?" she spat out desperately, trying to glare at him but the tears threatening to show were not letting her. "This is _not_ talking. This is you running away."

"We already know how this is going to end," Link stood up. His voice was monotone. "We knew why this wouldn't work in the first place."

_Light and shadow cannot mix._

"Stop it," she begged.

Midna never begged.

"You're my friend, Midna. You always _will_ be if you let me. But who are we kidding?" the Hero sounded defeated and the coldness he wore melted away. He just looked at her pitifully.

_This relationship will stress her out as a ruler, and will give her an ultimatum: you, or her people._

"I won't get in the way, princess."

There was a loud _slap_ sound that echoed through her closed quarters. She had stricken him, and Link was sure he probably deserved that. His cheek stung and all the hurt Midna had on her face had vanished, almost as if it was never there. It was replaced by a frigid mask of indifference.

This was because Midna did not beg. This was because Midna was a proud, independent woman – and she would not plea, or beg, or cry for the presence of a man, especially someone of an entirely different race, even if her heart had shattered into shards after she hit him. She found that entirely unacceptable.

Her arm finally fell to her side. "Well then," she began, her voice sounding lifeless. "If you're ready to depart, Hero, I'll take you to the High Priestess, and we'll send you off your merry way."

_For both of your sakes._

In a matter of seconds Midna had warped them out of her bedroom.

* * *

Persephone was usually accustomed for those who wanted to enter the underground chamber to _knock_, as it was a traditional, and not to mention, polite custom that was taught at an early age. For some reason that concept seemed to have evaded Midna. She and Link appeared in the center of the room and the High Priestess sighed.

"How rude," Persephone murmured and crossed her arms. "You need to learn how to knock, darling."

But there were no sarcastic remarks on her daughter's behalf or high pitched, adorable giggles. She noticed that only one of Link's cheeks were tainted red with an outline that looked disturbingly like a hand, and Midna stubbornly refused to even turn around and look at him. "He's going back to Hyrule."

"So soon?" her mother questioned, her lips curving into a frown. "Is everything well?"

Link was wondering how she could even _ask_ them that. He was bold enough to send the High Priestess a glower that slipped Midna's attention, and Persephone stiffened, her golden eyes widening in realization. She expected she would feel relieved when this moment happened, but she felt guilt spread from her core and into the rest of her body. She couldn't take her eyes off Link.

"Mother, the mirror?" Midna insisted patiently. The mirror was hidden by Persephone's magic by a veil of illusion; she would have to waive the spell for it to be used.

Persephone bit her lip. "I'm sorry," she expressed sorrowfully, her eyes unmoving from Link's face. "I'm so, so sorry."

The Twilight Princess raised an eyebrow. "What are you apologizing for, Mother?" Persephone said nothing and neither did Link. Midna let out an irritable growl and glanced at both of them as they absolutely refused to take their eyes off each other. Link looked as if he was silently enraged at her, and Persephone was bestowed with some guilt unknown to Midna.

"I'm waiting for an answer," Midna persisted, tapping her bare foot against the ground impatiently.

Link shrugged his shoulders. "For both our sakes, right?"

Persephone nodded. Midna froze.

She switched her gaze from her mother to Link, back and forth, back and forth, and neither still bothered to look at her in the face. "What's going on?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes. "What are you talking about, Link?" Both of them were hiding something from her, she assumed, and Midna did _not_ like having things kept from her. Especially when it came to this. "One of you needs to answer me. _Now._"

Link stared at Persephone expectantly and motioned his hand for her to take the floor in explaining everything to her daughter.

"We discussed on what was best for you both previously," the High Priestess confessed slowly. Her eyes wandered from Link and to the appalled expression her child wore. "When he awoke from being unconscious. I expressed my opinion of how it was better for both of you to remain simply allies and nothing more."

Betrayal never made her feel so sick.

"That's…cute," Midna said acidly. The corner of her lips quirked into a small smirk as she looked at Link, who was now looking at the ground. "Who's hiding things from whom now?" The Hero winced at her words. "You obviously agree with her. How come I didn't get a say in this? I don't remember adding my input."

Persephone balled her fists. "Please don't be so hard on him."

"You think I'm being hard on him, Mother?" Midna rolled her eyes and let out a mirthless laugh, shaking her head. "Just wait until I get through with you, Mother. Just you _wait_. But no matter what I say, it looks like you got away with what you wanted. Congratulations." There was that crack in her voice again and Midna stepped away from them.

"The mirror?" she repeated one more time. Her voice sounded stronger.

Persephone gave Link one last apologetic look before approaching the stairs of the platform that held up a magic circle. In a simple wave of an arm, the air in front of her appeared like water – rippling and moving – and then the other side of the Mirror of Twilight seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was always there. One just had to look closely. "Just tell me when to open it," she whispered quietly and kept her back to them, closing her eyes.

Link and Midna looked at each other.

"Two things." Midna tried to continue to seem unbothered and indifferent, even though Link knew her inside out, and knew very much the opposite. He obediently listened and Midna pulled out two things from her cloak – a scroll, and a drawstring pouch. "I have a letter for Princess Zelda to schedule a meeting for what she wanted to discuss about. Hopefully she'll agree on the date, otherwise I guess you'll have to come back and reschedule us." Her shoulders shrugged and she entrusted him with the scroll and pouch.

"And this?" Link asked, his voice sounding tight and somewhat hoarse for reasons neither of them wanted to delve into. He held up the pouch.

"Remember the crystal that changed you into the beast?" Link nodded. "That's it. It's a necklace, of sorts, I guess. Mother and I made sure the magic was safe, and with it, you can change forms at will. I figured you might find the thing more useful. I'm not going to be around to change you into a dog anymore."

He wished she didn't sound so damn heartless. "I'm still going to see you," he said, staring into her eyes stubbornly. He couldn't lose her completely. He refused to. _You're still my best friend_.

He saw an inkling of emotion cross her face. He knew that meant something to her. "I know," she replied quietly and folded her arms across her chest. "I'll be fine."

Midna sounded so sure of herself. Link knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but he couldn't help but always worry. What if there was another assassination attempt while he was gone? He would never forgive himself if something happened to her. But whether or not he would know about any of it was questionable – he knew she wasn't going to tell him anything.

He put away the scroll and pouch and grabbed her by the arms, pulled her over, and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger against her skin for several moments. She didn't protest his action, but she didn't encourage him either and remained motionless. "Please, don't do anything stupid and break something," he pleaded quietly, vaguely referring to the mirror that was the bridge between their worlds. "I can't lose you."

Pride was in the way of her expressing the exact sentiment, so silence became her companion. She gave a small nod of her head and stepped away from him, and this signaled Link to finally release her.

"Go home, Link."

Upon hearing Midna utter those words, Persephone began to activate the mirror and the portal opened.

"I _will_ see you again," Link told her with a strong voice. She said nothing and just motioned to the mirror behind him. Persephone stepped aside to allow him access to the portal and he walked up the steps. Before the portal took a hold of him and returned him to the world of light, he turned around to face the Twilight Princess one last time. "You can't get rid of me so easily. I won't let you."

Link's body slowly started to come apart into tiny particles, and the portal vacuumed him up and he was gone, leaving behind Midna and her mother. Persephone closed the portal and waved her hand again, veiling the mirror with the illusion of simply not existing.

Persephone broke the suffocating silence. "I'm so sorry everything ended the way it did," she said in a whisper and turned to face Midna. The princess remained where she was standing and did not tear her eyes where the Hero once stood. "I—I didn't mean things to end up like this. I…I just wanted to look out for the both of you. Please believe me when I say I had the best intentions in mind."

One of Midna's brows rose and her eyes still remained fixated on the same spot. "How exactly did you think things would end, Mother?" she said. She blinked and looked over at Persephone, her eyes boring into her mother. "Did you expect us to shake hands, smile, and carry on like nothing ever happened? Because that would have been ideal."

"And how do you think your fate would have been like with him, Midna?" Persephone retaliated with pleading eyes, trying to get her daughter to understand. "He is a good man, but there will be problems arising if you two chose to—chose to become something more."

The Twilight Princess sneered. "I guess we'll never find out, will we? It's done, Mother. Stop looking at me with guilt and put yourself together."

Her mother frowned. "Midna, it _is_ alright if you mourn over this. I know this hurts, and--"

"It's not the end of the world." She cut her mother off quickly. "You heard us – we're still friends. We'll still see each other. We've been through so much just to erase our bond over something so trivial." Even in the face of her mother, she was still too proud to show anything else but resoluteness.

She turned her back to her mother and sighed.

"We'll move on. Things change."

Midna then warped herself out of the underground chamber, leaving Persephone to fall to her knees and break down into quiet sobs with her arms wrapped around herself. No matter how hard she tried to act on the best intentions, it still gave her a rotten feeling, and she could not shake off the guilt and the lingering feeling of mistake that hovered above her conscience like a permanent cloud.

* * *

Link was greeted with the welcome of a high, hot sun and waves of sand blowing in his face. Everything was bright as it had always been, although he had become accustomed to the dimness of permanent dusk beyond the world connected to this one. She had told him to go home, but he wasn't sure if this was home anymore, and if it wasn't, what _was_ home?

As usual, there was no one he could see, but the presence of the Sages was still felt even though they remained hidden from human eyes. Link stepped down onto the sands of the Arbiter's Grounds, still a little dazed of what had just happened only moments ago – the guilt that bled out from Persephone's eyes, and the hurt Midna decisively kept hidden. Seeing Persephone so distraught over what she had orchestrated made himself aware of his own guilt, but he was also bitterly glad she was the witness to what she helped happen.

Light and shadow cannot mix, so they didn't.

Link wanted to stay. Leaving Midna like that was something that did not bode well with him, and upon crossing worlds, he wish he would have stayed and regretted not fighting back. She acted like she didn't need him when he knew otherwise, but he was also certain Midna would not accept any comfort from him. He wasn't sure if he would _ever_ comfort her again. She was the type of woman that let someone hurt her once, and only once.

But what is all really for the best? Link still wondered about this, and wondered if this rift that had happened between them would yield a better future. Her issues when it came to politics concerning those of the world of light would be minimal, as he knew they would just increase if Midna had introduced him as something _other_ than an ally. And maybe, just maybe she might find someone in the Twilight that she could eventually court without problems because they were of her own kind, of her own race.

If that ever happened, he would let her go. He would let her go and wish her the best and hope she lived happily, even if it would tear him to pieces on the inside.

And maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he would settle down in Hyrule somewhere. Maybe one day he would forget about how she made him feel when she kissed him, and how they were tangled up amongst each other in the most innocent way possible, and the high-pitched devious giggles he had, for some reason, learned to miss. Maybe all this would pass and soon it wouldn't be a big deal anymore, because as the world continued to turn, so did life.

Maybe they would both move on and put this past them.

He wasn't sure if that was likely. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to do that. He would still remember the bits and pieces of selfish moments they had together, where they both decided to ignore all the factors and problems facing them and lose themselves into each other for only a small amount of time. But he couldn't just stand around and wait, either. Life went on. He was still needed and he would gladly help when asked, no questions asked.

But the one thing he was absolutely and positively sure of is that no matter what happened or what path they both chose to take, he couldn't lose her. If anything else, that was his best friend.

He pulled the drawstring pouch out and opened it, letting the crystal with a chain attached to it land onto his palm. He remembered it all too well, the moment that _thing_ was pulled out of his forehead and how Midna took it into her tiny imp hands and kept it. It was disturbingly handy. And after awhile, he had grown use to being the four-legged beast.

Link slipped the chain and crystal over his chest and hid it under his tunic. It wasn't something he would want people to see plain as day and ask questions. It felt like it was a private part of him, something that him and Midna really only knew about and saw.

_You can change forms at will_. Midna's voice flooded through his mind and he closed his eyes, recalling how different it felt to be in his other form, where all his senses were heightened and instincts took over. The next thing he knew he was an all fours and was viewing the world from a much shorter point of view. It had been such a long time since he was in this form, so he trotted around carefully, becoming accustomed to the changes of movement. It all came back to him quickly, and Link found himself sprinting out from Arbiter's Grounds and back into the sandy fields of the desert, where he allowed himself to be lost to his feral senses.


	12. In the Bridges He Burned

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Nobody said it was easy,  
It's such a shame for us to part.  
Nobody said it was easy,  
No one ever said it would be this hard._

Chapter Twelve  
_In the Bridges He Burned_

Princess Zelda could sense something entirely unbalanced from the Hero when he returned to the castle grounds with a message from the Twilight Princess; there was something about his eyes and his face that unsettled her. When she first found out about his sudden leave, she didn't discover it from Link himself like she usually would. He _still_ had the aggravating habit of going to her and requesting her permission to leave the grounds, and she had expressed to him time and time _again_ that it was unnecessary. However, this particular time, she found out from a guard who had seen him leave the castle in alarming hurry and it mildly concerned her.

He returned without wounds and safe, so she was highly relieved. She suspected he would go to the Twilight, but she wasn't sure why he would go there all of a sudden without any sort of previous warning. He gave her the scroll Midna entrusted him and Zelda opened it, reading over it quickly.

"Thank you very much, Link," Princess Zelda said. "You're quite the helpful messenger when it comes to moving between worlds. I wish we had an easier way to access Princess Midna in case of emergencies. It would be so much more convenient." She pondered about some sort of magic device that would allow that, but she wasn't very well versed in the expertise of higher magic. She knew enough to hold her ground, but nothing to that extraordinary degree.

Link simply nodded. "No problem, Princess."

"How is Midna, anyway?" inquired Zelda with a smile. Part of her missed the princess' snarky remarks and her toothy grin; it was always so much more quieter without her presence. "It must be interesting finally entering the Twilight when the citizens are back to normal. I'm rather curious as to how that went."

"Everything went fine," replied Link as he shrugged his shoulders. Zelda tried not to frown. He seemed oddly indifferent about something. She assumed that being able to travel back and forth and see Midna would brighten him up and make him smile more than he usually did, but something seemed off. Something seemed wrong. "Twilight looks good. She's usually pretty busy with everything, though."

"How did the people react to you?"

"I told you I met her mother before, didn't I?" Zelda nodded and Link continued. "I wasn't introduced to the public. She was kind of easing me in. She introduced me to her court. Some of the guys there didn't like me so much." He spoke as if he was discussing a chore of some sort, like it was something he didn't want to talk about.

Hyrule's princess watched him closely. "I'm very sorry to hear that, Link." He shrugged again. She continued to observe him, trying to catch a sign - a hint - from him as to why he seemed so...apathetic. Nonchalant. "Is that all that happened? You seem…I don't know. You seem different."

Link smiled at her sheepishly. "Just tired, I guess."

"If there's anything that happened and you would like an ear that would listen, I _am_ here, Link." Zelda's small smile had switched to a frown. "I will not pry into your business. I just assumed you would be happier when you came from the Twilight. When Midna appeared, you were elated."

"I know."

"What changed?"

Link didn't give her an answer right away. She was concerned and he really wished she wouldn't be. She had been so kind to him, offering him shelter for him and his horse and showering him with amazing hospitality. Zelda had the best intentions. And even though they weren't close on a personal friend-to-friend level, he knew he could trust her.

"I have a question for you," he said, instead of giving a straight answer to her inquiry.

Princess Zelda nodded once. "Absolutely. Ask away."

His brows furrowed. He knew exactly what he was going to ask her and he knew that she would understand what he meant right away. She didn't have the triforce of wisdom for no reason, after all. "Can light and shadow ever mix?"

She seemed surprised at his question. "That's... a very loaded question." She wasn't expecting that, but she was beginning to realize what his attitude was all about.

"I know," he whispered.

"By my opinion alone, yes. I believe they can mix," she responded firmly, sounding so sure of herself. Link looked a little bewildered at her answer. Zelda continued. "Light and shadow are two sides to the same coin. They cannot exist without each other, and both are needed for equilibrium. A balance. But there is a difference between my own subjective opinion and reality."

Confusion washed over his face, and the princess elaborated. "The two sides that represent light and shadow here – us and the Twilight – have been separated for so long. You would think that the mirror, connecting both worlds, would be the middle-point. The balance. But I don't know. I don't think so. Even with both worlds safe, there's still something unbalancing the sides."

"But that answer is simply addressing _that_ part of light and shadow. I'm sure much of the question you've asked me also involves you and Midna, correct?"

"…sort of," he admitted awkwardly. He questioned himself quietly whether it was a good idea to bring that subject up. The only outside opinion he had ever heard was Persephone's unwelcomed view of them, and he was curious what someone else thought. Maybe Zelda had some view of it that would undo all of what Persephone had told him. Maybe Zelda could tell him something that gave him hope that they could somehow, someway, make this all work.

Zelda sighed softly. Link was avoiding her gaze and his eyes were locked on his lap. He looked absolutely miserable and she could tell he felt guilty over something - his feelings, although unspoken, oozed out of him. "Did someone tell you that light and shadow cannot mix?"

"Her mother did."

"I'm sure she was referring to some problems that could come up because of…you two," Zelda said carefully. No one had ever openly said the word 'relationship' when it came to Link and Midna. It seemed odd to say it, even though it was exactly that. "The political and social consequences, I'm assuming?" Even if the Hyrulean Princess sided on their end, she could still foresee the issues that would arise if they pursued their relationship openly, and in a much more serious fashion.

Link glanced to the side and Zelda understood.

"I'm really not sure what to tell you there, Link." She folded her gloved hands in front of her and looked at him sympathetically. "How that story ends there is ultimately up to you two. I know my words are not all that helpful in that case, and I apologize. It is a very complicated situation, and I wouldn't know what to do in that position myself. Have you and her spoken about it?"

"Not really."

Zelda's eyes widened slightly. "Truly?" That was an eye opener. How could they even try to fix things when neither of them would speak to each other about them?

Link shrugged his shoulders and rose to his feet. "It doesn't matter now. Some things, in the end, are probably just better off left unsaid. I'm supposed to fix problems. Not cause them. In any case, would it be alright if I went off for a few days? I haven't visited Ordon since I've left. Unless you need me here for something, I can wait."

_He's doing it again_, Zelda thought to herself. She shook her head and sighed. "Everything is well here. Go to Ordon and take your time. Give the village people my utmost regards."

Link nodded, bowed to his monarch, and left.

"I don't know what you goddesses and other possible deities have in store for those two, but so far, it's a disaster," Zelda whispered to herself as she closed her eyes, burying her face into her petite hands. Link's lack of words said everything. Something was broken between him and the Twilight Princess, and she wasn't sure if it would ever be fixed.

* * *

Link contemplated in changing forms and sprinting all the way to Ordon that way, but he quickly recalled Ilia's face and the way she adored and cared for Epona, and decided he couldn't arrive without the horse. She would probably assume the worst and blame him for _something_. But he was sure Epona missed having the girl fawn and gently take care of her like she used to.

There was a tiny, hopeful part of him that prayed returning to Ordon after being gone for so long would revive that feeling of home again, and that he wouldn't have to leave again. Nostalgia enveloped him with vague, flashing memories when he entered the Faron Woods and the pace of Epona's hooves slowed. He remembered exactly how the canopy of leaves of all the trees shaded the path and how the rays of sunlight would peek through the branches and greens in separate parts. Faron Woods was beautiful, and there was no other place in Hyrule like it.

It didn't take him long for him to reach the secluded area where his tree house was built. No one was around and he climbed off Epona. Nothing looked touched. Nothing looked changed. It was the tree house he always knew, the home he grew up in, slept in, ate in. But it still didn't feel like a home he wanted to stay for years in again. He sighed and started walking towards the main part of the village where the houses and the very few shops were established and occupied. He could smell the growing pumpkins and he heard the cuccos make their funny little sounds as they fluttered around clumsily.

"I saw him first!" It was the voice of a high-pitched girl, and then the sounds of numerous tiny feet battering against the grass were heard. Part of him knew exactly what and whom to expect, but he did not move from where he stood.

"Did _not_!"

"I'm going to beat ALL of you!"

"You guys. Shut up."

The next thing he knew he was almost thrown to the ground by a group of over ecstatic children – it was Beth that had his waist, Colin had his arm, and Talo was clinging to his leg. Malo, the voice that had told them to shut up, was the only one that did not bombard Link. Instead he stood there, watching them disappointingly.

"See what you did?" Malo said in a completely monotone voice.

"Hello to you too, guys," Link managed to get out when the shock passed and he laughed at the children who were attached to him. They were all looking up at him sheepishly and apologetically. "I missed you too."

All three children let him go and helped him up. "We were wondering when you were coming back!" Beth said excitedly. "Did you bring anyone with you?"

That was an odd question. "Just Epona."

Beth looked disappointed and kicked at some rocks. Colin held his arms behind him and looked up at Link adoringly. "Welcome back, Link. Talo and I have been practicing everything you've taught us since you left."

"And I'm totally better," Talo piped up and puffed his chest out as a manly gesture.

"He's actually a total klutz," Malo clarified in earned a thwap over the head from Talo. "Ow."

It didn't take long for the rest of the Ordonians to crowd around him and give him an exceptionally warm welcome. Familiar faces like Mayor Bo, Rusl, and Uli with her three month old daughter had come over. The children were more than excited, keeping close to their Hero. Link almost felt uncomfortable underneath all the attention and how highly they thought of him. It was slightly stressful, and just a little bit suffocating, but no one noticed. He never let them notice.

The only one he didn't see, however, was Ilia. "I haven't seen her yet," Link told Mayor Bo. "Where is she? I brought Epona just so she could see her."

"Ilia's somewhere in the Faron Woods. You probably just missed her when you were coming in." He laughed and crossed his arms. "She's probably still there collecting some herbs and plants. Go find her. She's been dying to see you again, boy. She sent you a letter not too long ago but she got a response from Princess Zelda, of all people, telling her that you were going to a different kingdom. Where'd you go this time, boy?"

"…a different kingdom," Link responded lamely. Mayor Bo raised an eyebrow. "It's a long story. I'm sort of…the messenger between that kingdom's ruler and Princess Zelda." It wasn't a lie, exactly, but it wasn't the _complete_ truth. "Anyway, I think I'm gonna go to Faron Woods to see if Ilia's around." He politely excused himself before Mayor Bo asked him even more questions that he wasn't all that comfortable with, especially when they all went back to a certain Twilight Princess, and so far Link was doing an amazing job by himself of avoiding anything that reminded him of her.

The children insisted on tagging along, but their parents had other things in store for them – mainly chores. They all groaned and pouted except for Colin. He was the only kid that hardly gave his parents any bother. He gave Link a shy smile and a wave before following his mother back into their home obediently.

He jogged up a slight hill, passed his his tree house and the area Epona was resting and entered the domain of the Faron Woods. He really hadn't seen Ilia during his pass through there, but he could guess where she would be. He walked over to the direction of the Ordon Spring where the gates were open and he spotted her instantly. She had a little basket hanging from her arm and she was gently pulling at certain greens from the ground, dropping them into the basket.

She hadn't noticed him and Link grinned to himself. He quietly and sneakily approached her and covered her eyes with his hands. Ilia let out a small yelp and almost dropped the basket. "Guess who?"

He heard her gasp and grab the hands that were covering her eyes. He laughed and pulled them down. "Link, you _jerk_! Why in all of Hyrule would you scare a girl in the woods all by herself?" she turned around and glared at him, and he gave her the most innocent look he could muster. She couldn't keep a straight face and burst into hysterical giggles and hugged him excitedly, giving him a tight squeeze.

"Welcome back, Mister Hero!" Ilia laughed. "I was wondering when I'd see you again. Princess Zelda wrote to me saying you were at some other kingdom running errands!"

"I was. I'm back now, obviously." They both released each other from the hug, and Link was hoping and praying that they wouldn't delve into a certain topic. He knew Ilia too well.

"How long are you staying, anyway?"

"I'm…not really sure yet, actually." Link rubbed the back of his head. "A week, probably, and then I'm back to being the errand boy of Hyrule, I guess."

Ilia clasped her hands together, hopeful. "Did you bring someone with you?"

"Just Epona."

"…no one else?"

Yes. He knew Ilia too well. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "No one else, Ilia."

She looked disappointed. "Oh. I was hoping the kingdom you went to belonged to that other princess…"

"It was."

"What happened?" Ilia pressed on, curiosity taking over her face.

"Nothing special," he said with a shrug and doused his foot into the spring a little. "I'd rather not talk about it. Your dad invited me to dinner, by the way. What are you making?"

The change of subject didn't work. It never worked on Ilia. She frowned and adjusted the basket on her arm and watched him worriedly. "I'm sorry if things didn't work out," she said quietly. She wondered if the princess had broken his heart or something else happened, and no matter how curious she was, she doubted Link would confide in her. "I haven't decided yet, honestly."

Link ignored the apology Ilia had no business saying. He smiled at her. "Mind if I help in the kitchen or something? I have nothing better to do anyway, and that way you can tell me about everything I've missed."

Ilia tried smiling back but it was forced. Link was keeping whatever had happened a secret and watching him smile and act like it didn't bother him absolutely killed her. But she noticed he was grasping for some normalcy, for something that would keep his mind off whatever happened, so Ilia was more than happy to oblige her childhood friend. "Of course, silly. Just don't burn down my house, okay? Daddy might never forgive you."

Both of them returned back to the village together, but Ilia made sure to greet Epona first. The horse seemed happy to see her which had her ecstatic. It always made Ilia a little sore when she knew that Epona always preferred Link over her, even if Ilia was the one that had essentially raised Epona. But the horse seemed to being doing well and continued to look beautiful, so she had nothing to scold Link about this time. When they had arrived at Ilia and Mayor Bo's little cottage, Ilia soon discovered that Link still lacked pretty serious skill in the kitchen.

"Okay, stop," she quickly said and waved her hands at him. She gently shoved him away from the counter. "You don't put _whole_ pumpkins in the cooking pot, Link."

Link grumbled in response.

Bo had decided to accompany them with some freshly brewed mead. He offered Link some, but he politely declined, remembering his last encounter with an alcoholic beverage. All three of them lost themselves in the conversation, catching up on things Link had missed and reminiscing about the years that passed by. It was so easy to be back here. There was something to laugh at and smile about here.

But he _still_ didn't know why it stopped being home.

After the dinner Ilia had laid out – which was absolutely _delicious_ and made him remember how much he really missed her home cooked meals – the sun had already set, and Link purposely stayed indoors until the twilight passed and the midnight blue skies took over with the stars in tow. He said his goodbyes to Bo and Ilia, whom both embraced him and told him to come by during breakfast, too. "I always cook so much, anyway, and daddy could use to lose some pounds," Ilia said with a little giggle. Bo looked offended and self-consciously patted his belly.

The village was empty and quiet when he shut the door to Bo and Ilia's house. Everyone had gone to bed, or were just finishing up their dinner, and it was so dark out that there was just nothing to do outdoors. He approached his tree house but stopped in his tracks when he heard the bushes rustle.

_It's probably a squirrel_, he thought to himself, but then he heard footsteps that sounded too human to be a fuzzy woodland creature. He unsheathed his sword and turned around, just to see a wide-eyed and scared Colin.

"For heaven's sake," Link breathed out with enlarged eyes. Colin let out a noise that sounded like something a girl would squeak out. "Don't _do_ that, Colin!"

"I'm sorry!" Colin squeaked again and waved his hands in front of him. "I—I didn't—I didn't mean to scare you!"

Ordon was usually the _last_ place he drew his sword, but sensing and hearing things sneak up on him had embroidered that reaction into his instincts far too much; he was always on his toes, listening and prepared for anything unexpected. "Don't be. I'm sorry about that. It's just something I'm used to doing every time I heard something weird." He sighed and looked at him with furrowed brows, frowning. "What are you doing out here, anyway? Do Rusl and Uli know you're out?"

"Not…really…" Colin admitted meekly and shuffled his feet. "I snuck out."

_Looks like Colin's getting a rebellious steak after all_. Link looked genuinely surprised. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, if you weren't busy?" the boy still looked shy and Link's eyes softened. "Ever since you brought us back, I felt like I barely saw you unless you were teaching me and Talo something. I never got to ask you if you were…okay, after everything was over."

"Colin, I'm fine." Link raised an eyebrow and sat down on the grass. Colin followed his example hesitantly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Colin hugged his knees against his chest and shrugged his shoulders. "Everything that happened was so…so _weird_, you know? I sometimes have to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I know it must have been harder for you, Link. You were the one fighting everything off and making sure we were okay."

Link listened to him. What all the children had seen – including Ilia – was something people at their age never saw in their entire lifetimes. They had reacted surprisingly well throughout it all, but he could understand if they came out of everything a little scarred and a little more grown up. Talo had become a bit more sensitive and less temperamental and Malo had become more sympathetic but continued to carry on with silent strength. Colin began breaking out of his shell and took the bits of courage Link had shown for himself, and Beth became a surprisingly calm voice of reason amongst the group of children.

"Do you remember when we were staying at Kakariko with Mister Renado and his daughter?" The Hero nodded and Colin continued, grabbing a stick and poking at the ground. "You were around for a bit and then you left. I took a walk outside to see if I could catch up to you, even though it probably wasn't a good idea to go out alone."

He laughed a little at the memory. Link still didn't know where he was going with the story. "I couldn't find you, but I heard something behind Mister Renado's house. It almost….sounded like a little girl. Or a mouse. I wasn't sure. I was afraid someone got lost, so I went to look. I saw the beast Talo said he saw once when he was high up doing watch. He was the _only_ one that saw it, so some of us thought he was just seeing things."

Link pressed his lips into a straight line and said nothing.

"And the voice I heard wasn't from a little girl. I don't know what it was. It was tiny and floating and looked like a shadow with a big head. She was talking to it, and I didn't understand her much, until she called the beast by your name. She called it Link." He finished his story quietly and looked up at Link, who was staring at the ground, perplexed.

"Was it really you, Link?" said Colin shyly, blinking at him curiously with his big blue eyes.

Link didn't know what to say.

Colin frowned at his silence, afraid that maybe he was mad at him for finding out a secret he didn't want to be known. "I won't tell anyone. I never did—I promise! I just…I still don't know if it was something I dreamt, or if it was real. But I saw his eyes and it looked just like yours. It _had_ to be you."

The weight of the crystal hidden by his tunic suddenly felt it weighed tons more than the few ounces it did. The only other person aside from Midna who knew about his other form in all of Hyrule was the Princess Zelda, and he and Midna had tried their best to keep the moments of his transformation away from the wondering eyes. They had gotten sloppy that night, apparently.

"If it can just be our secret, it would be nice," Link finally said with a small smile, reaching over to ruffle Colin's hair. Colin smiled up at him brightly with relief. "Hardly anyone ever knows about that."

"I won't tell anyone!" Colin said with determination and nodded. He felt a weight of importance with keeping the secret. He would make sure Link could trust him. "But who was the shadow thing? I've never seen anything…like it. It sounded like she was yelling at you for something."

Link couldn't help but chuckle and rubbed his forehead, letting out a sigh. He wasn't surprised. Back in those days, Midna was always yelling at him for _something_. "Let's just say it was a princess that was trapped in a body that wasn't hers."

Colin's eyes widened in realization. They were all familiar with the stories Link relayed to them about his journey, and they all knew of the existence of a mysterious princess that Link never named. But that was it. They just knew she existed, and that she was the one that helped and saved Link's life multiple times throughout Hyrule. But no one ever saw her, and no one ever knew her name. "That was her?" he asked in awe.

"She was with me from the journey from day one," Link explained nostalgically. "She was just hiding where no one bothered to look."

Colin listened intently as he relayed the story of a princess who had her throne stolen from her – of course, with certain details carefully left out.


	13. Theory About the Bitter One

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_She's taking her time making up the reasons  
to justify all the hurt inside.  
Guess she knows from the smiles and the look in their eyes,  
Everyone's got a theory about the bitter one._

Chapter Thirteen  
_Theory about the Bitter One_

"So he really is _gone_?" Minerva asked Persephone in a hushed whisper. It had been the day after Link's departure from the Twilight and Midna continued through her day as if nothing happened, as if Link was never there to _begin_ with. Persephone didn't know what to do and couldn't find any words to say to her daughter, but she was assured that Midna didn't want to hear anything she had to say. Persephone summoned Minerva to the underground chamber and brought her to her quarters, located behind her stone throne and veiled by an illusory magic equivalent to the one hiding the mirror.

Persephone nodded and buried her face into her hands. "He did. She brought him over yesterday to return him to Hyrule. I tried to convince myself that this is for the better, but I do not know for certain anymore. What if I was the catalyst that provoked them into a big mistake?"

Guilt and sadness dripped from Persephone's voice and Minerva chewed her lip thoughtfully, uncertain of what to think about the recent happenings. Whether it was a mistake or for the better for both worlds, she couldn't even say herself. No one could. "Yesterday? That's…rather quick. Just yesterday the Princess had me stay with Link to make sure he wasn't cooped up in the palace the entire time. Everything was fine until…well…"

"Well?" Persephone sighed and slid her hands from her face, her eyes falling onto Minerva expectantly.

"I was just telling Link some happenings of what's happened here so far." Minerva winced as a wave of guilt washed over and she sat down on one of the chairs, sinking into the comfort of the cushions. "I mentioned that very weak assassination attempt – you remember, the one with the riot?" The High Priestess nodded. "There are just many things the Princess kept hidden from him, and he had grown very agitated from finding out from me instead of her. When the Princess approached us, Link was still irritated, so I excused myself to let them discuss their problems. That's the last I saw of him."

"That most likely led to a field of _other_ problems around them," Persephone whispered and sat down beside Minerva. "I just…wanted what's best for the both of them. Especially Midna."

Minerva's eyes softened. "She knows that, Persephone. She knows you love her very much."

Persephone laughed mirthlessly and leaned back. "And yet I've created a rift between her and the man that saved our entire world. Something about that just feels utterly monstrous to me."

She could still remember the way Link's eyes were that day. He didn't want to leave and he didn't want to do what he was doing. But he _listened_ to her, and she knew it was because he also wanted what was best for Midna. He didn't want to be the one that would come between her and her duties.

"How was she today?" Persephone hadn't seen her daughter the entire day; she was almost certain Midna orchestrated it to be that way on purpose. She was lucky that Midna was _only_ giving her the cold shoulder.

Minerva hummed in thought. "She was fine, actually. I would have never guessed that something happened and Link left. The only reason I found out is she made an announcement that he was no longer on castle grounds, and he had returned to his home world. Is he ever coming back?"

"So he says," Midna's mother explained and stared down at her hands. "I do not doubt his word. I heard them both vow that their friendship would remain, but nothing more. He adores her, Minerva. The reason why he came here in the first place was because he thought she was in danger."

"That's a little dangerous."

"I don't think he cares very much about the dangers facing him," Persephone chuckled and smiled up at Minerva sadly. "I just hope the friendship between them is enough."

Minerva moved a hand over Persephone's in comfort. "I hope so, too."

* * *

Paperwork.

If there was something that was the disdain for a ruler, it was paperwork.

Part of the court duties were to disperse throughout the kingdom and report back on issues and events that had happened, and propose a course of action. Those action proposals were often written across pages and pages of parchment paper, and it was Midna's duty as the ruler to actually sit through, read through the proposals, and either accept them or write a rebuttal when there was something she had to deny. It was time consuming, boring, and dry, but it was something she worked through thoroughly. As much as certain duties of being princess aggravated her, Midna did not believe in doing things half-assed. It _was_ her responsibility and she was responsible enough to perform to the best of her capabilities.

Not to mention it kept her busy. Midna needed to be kept busy. Busy was her only saving grace right now.

She had been reading so much for such a long period of time that the lines of dark ink were beginning to blur together, and she was beginning to have to read things twice or maybe even three times before she understood them. To her dismay, being busy would only last so long until she completely fried herself. She let out a frustrated sigh and set the papers down. Midna leaned back against her chair and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

She had to make sure to carry on as if nothing happened. She wasn't about to mope and whine; there were more important things to take care of, and Midna found the concept of pining absolutely _stupid_, even if she did feel the pang of yearning. If anything she would suffer in silence. There was no need to subject those around her with her own personal dilemmas – it was unprofessional, and in her eyes, unacceptable.

Midna was better than that.

She kept reassuring herself that it was _not_ the end of the world even though remembering him made every part of her hurt. They were friends and that was still the most important part, right? They just went through something that shouldn't have had happened, and they would get over it. She knew it wouldn't be like it used to be. It couldn't be.

But being friends was better than _nothing_. She at least reluctantly agreed with Link in that aspect. All throughout their quarreling and yelling, thoughts of breaking the mirror did occur to her. She was wondering if it would have been easier to simply destroy the damn thing when she had the chance – when she was still planning it all out. It could have been for the better. Neither of them would have to go through this, and there would be no temptation due to the possibility of them ever seeing each other again.

But there was one thing that bound her to his world, and it weighed heavily on her hand even though she tried to ignore it. It was the mark of the goddesses – although her mother had expressed worry that maybe they weren't the ones that marked her after all. Persephone didn't like it, and neither did Midna, but nothing negative had erupted from her bearing the mark.

Of course that was because she _was_ keeping it away from the eyes of everyone else. The symbol of the triforce was something the Twili knew very well – how could they forget that it was the power of the triforce that had tempted their ancestors and resulted into banishment?

Midna frowned and pulled her sleeve up and looked at the golden triangles embedded in her skin. She wondered if the dreams she had been having may be connected to the damn mark, and it didn't seem too far off. There was something disturbing and utterly realistic about the dreams – or nightmares, to be more accurate – that had been plaguing her. She had every intention to go to her mother about it, but was not looking forward to Persephone flipping out like she often did. But with everything that had gone on in the past two days, she simply forgot.

There was a knock at her door that pulled Midna away from her thoughts. "Come in," she called out and piled all the papers into one big heap and pushed them to the corner of her desk. She would deal with the proposals later. She also pulled her sleeve back up to hide the back of her hand.

After a few seconds the knob turned and then entered Caleb. He was a middle-aged man that looked far too young for the years he's lived through, and still acted like a stubborn boy. He had an ego the size of the palace and a mouth that just didn't know when to stop, and it was not uncommon for him to often make himself an ass with what he said sometimes. He was harsh and rude, but when it came to politics, he was generally diplomatic and absolutely ingenious. Midna had to keep reminding herself that was why she still kept him around.

"This is a surprise," Midna said with a raised eyebrow and folded her arms. Caleb slowly closed the door behind him and waited until Midna signaled him to approach her desk before moving. "Come and sit. What brings you here today, Caleb?"

Caleb sat down when he approached the desk. He looked a bit cautious, but for the most part he was relaxed and generally nonchalant. He sighed. "So he left, right? The Sacred Beast guy?"

"If you were paying any attention to my announcement this morning, then yes, he's gone back to Hyrule."

"Is he coming back?" he asked. Midna stared at him hard for a moment to read his face, trying to figure out _why_ he would care if he came back or not.

"It's expected," Midna began slowly and watched him closely for any changes in reaction. So far there were none. "Yes, he is coming back. I hope you're not planning any more opportunities to make an ass of yourself. You already know how the last time you did ended up."

Caleb rolled his eyes. He rarely ever took his highness' insults to heart. "I know, I know. I _was_ planning to apologize, you know. I was out of line."

"Did you finally come to your senses or did Minerva finally smack some into you?"

"A bit of both."

"Figures," Midna responded sourly.

Caleb close.d his eyes briefly "I admit. I _was_ out of line. And yes, I was the biggest asshole ever that night. But you have to understand some of us, Princess. We've lived with the idea engraved in our minds that the world of Light was a stupid joke. That the Light Dwellers were simply spoiled and fawned over by those goddesses. We learned to resent them for our origins."

"I'm not ignorant of this information, no."

"We _are_ grateful that he saved us." Caleb thought for a moment before continuing and then shook his head. "At least, well, _I_ am, can't speak much for the other behalf, but you can't expect us to accept him with open arms. Not yet. It's going to take awhile for everyone to realize that these two worlds that were so separate before, might actually have a respectful connection. No one ever thought this would happen."

Midna held back a sigh. He had a point. And no matter how aggravating he could be, his voice had the right to be heard. The co-existence of Light and Twilight was something no one ever really thought of, especially when it came to the people in Hyrule – they were as happy as a clam, unaware of the other world bound to that one, when for her people, it was like a mark permanently branded on them. As time went on and the ages passed, the people of Twilight had become happy and this was _home_, but it would still not erase the story of their origins.

"And I know you would rather have me apologize to the guy in person, so…" Caleb shrugged his shoulders. "When is he coming back?"

"I don't know for certain. When he does, you'll be one of the first to know." She smirked. "You know I won't give up an opportunity to see you own up to your wrong doings."

"You're so benevolent," Caleb grumbled sarcastically.

Midna winked. "But of course." She stood up and Caleb mimicked her movement. She held her hand out and they both shook hands firmly. "Thank you for coming and being honest. You know if there's anything else, no matter how much I want to beat you sometimes, your voice _will_ be heard."

An arrogant smirk graced his face. "I know. And people hear my voice and opinion whether they like to or not, so it works out regardless."

"This is true."

They released each other's hands, and then something alarmed Caleb. The princess fell back into her chair without grace – it almost looked like she had lost her balance. Her fingers clutched the side of her chair for solid support and her expression twisted; she looked like she was troubled, disturbed by _something_.

"Princess?" Caleb's eyes widened a little. He wasn't sure if he should go to her side – he knew very well Midna's reaction to assistance. "Are you alright?"

For a second it felt like the world was beginning to spin too fast and like someone pulled the carpets from under her feet. There was a throb in her head, almost like a heartbeat, and Midna clenched her eyes shut tightly, digging her nails into the handles of the chair. "I'm…fine," she uttered unconvincingly and lowered her head.

"You don't seem fine," Caleb insisted and quickly went to her side. He held back from putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ill? I can take you to the infirmary."

Midna felt like snapping at him and telling him to _go away_, but the unidentifiable throbbing in her head continued and it was almost overpowering, like something was banging on the inside of her skull to break free. She let out another groan and briefly saw dark eyes flash behind her closed lids, and it made her open her eyes snap open instantly.

_What was that?_ she thought to herself, not noticing how her breathing was becoming equivalent to small, out of breath pants.

"Damnit, Princess, _say something_!"

Midna narrowed her eyes and started to slowly get up. "Leave. I need to go see my mother."

He growled in frustration. He was not about to overlook what had just happened - if something happened to her in his absence, he would take personal accountability for it. "You cannot expect me to go and leave you by yourself, Princess. You don't look well. I'll take you to her."

"You have better things to do," Midna insisted and stood there for a few seconds to make sure she had _some_ sort of balance. She waved a hand at him dismissively. "I can go there myself without the means of walking. You know that."

"Pardon my intrusion, but I don't think it's very wise of you to use magic while like this, your highness." Caleb was remaining stubborn and Midna glared at him. He knew he was right. Magic wasn't an infinite well. It would sap the energy she barely had. "You are _not_ well, and insisting that you are is plain foolish."

Midna let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. You simply may escort me." She was not about to lean against him or have her carry her. She didn't like Caleb _that_ much.

Caleb simply nodded and watched her movements carefully. She still looked unbalanced, but she was completely determined to walk their on her own two feet. He followed her as she exited from her library and stayed close behind her, just in case she teetered or fell. The corridor that led to the underground chamber was mostly empty and it relieved Midna; the last thing she needed were curious, suspicious glances from someone else.

"I have to ask you something," he piped up after moments of silence, his voice sounding grave.

"What?" _This better be good._

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No."

"Oh." Caleb sighed in relief. "Good."

"Remind me to throw something blunt and heavy at you the next time I see you and I'm feeling better."

"Respectfully noted."

"Idiot."

"Okay, the insults and the threats can stop now, please."

Midna rolled her eyes and opened the doors that revealed a mess of spiral stairs circling down. She stepped down the first step carefully, making sure she was steady before she continued and Caleb followed her in silence. He wasn't about to test any more of her patience. When Midna made a threat, she usually went through with it.

She opened the sealed doors with ease. Persephone was by the shelves of the chamber doing a daily dusting and sighed when she heard the doors open – she assumed it to be her daughter. She either never knocked, or simply appeared by warping into the middle of the room demanding one thing or another. When she turned around to see her, she was surprised that Caleb was following behind her too close for comfort. At least, Midna's comfort.

"What brings you two here?" Persephone inquired and daintily dropped the rag on a side table.

"She's not feeling well," Caleb spoke up before Midna ever could. He heard her snarl out of frustration but he continued. "Instead of going to the infirmary, she insisted on seeing you. I just came to escort her to make sure she didn't pass out on the way."

Persephone was beginning to look slightly alarmed and she approached her daughter, examining her. She looked a little weak, she noted, and her chest was rising and falling in short breaths and at a rapid pace. "Can you leave us alone, Caleb?" Midna asked, her voice sounding faint. "I need to discuss something with my mother."

Caleb nodded and bowed to both of the women respectfully. But before he left, and he looked over to Persephone. "On the bright side, she said she isn't pregnant, so you can at least rule that diagnosis out?"

"Caleb, I will _hurt_ you," Midna seethed. Persephone looked dumbfounded.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving!" he bowed again and quickly departed, closing the doors behind them and leaving the two women by themselves.

"You aren't pregnant, right?" Persephone squeaked out. She looked scared and about to panic.

Midna scowled and sat down, holding her head. "_Mother_. Shut up. I'm not pregnant. We didn't _do_ anything. Now, if we can let go of that topic, would you shut up and listen to me? I'm a little worried, here."

Persephone took a moment to look very relieved. She let out a sigh and kneeled before her daughter, raising a hand against her cheek. "Certainly, dear. Your face feels a little too warm. What's wrong?"

Midna's eyes closed at her mother's touch and her temper calmed down. Her breathing still remained a little erratic. "You said you thought that the three goddesses from the world of light did _not_ bestow their mark on me, right?"

Persephone frowned. "Right."

"I think you're right."

Persephone's face hardened. "What makes you say this?"

"Because I think someone _else_ gave me this mark," Midna explained, the throbbing of her head returning just faintly. She closed her eyes tightly. "That someone else was the previous bearer of this triforce, and he won't leave my dreams _alone_."

Persephone felt her blood run cold. "Are you certain?"

"I don't often admit that I have a _monster_ in my head, Mother, so I'm pretty sure. I just need to find out how to get rid of him."

Persephone's eyes narrowed. "I thought Link killed him. There's no way he could—could he?"

"Before Link killed him, he killed me." Midna said and then looked a little unsure of herself. "At least, I think he did. Whatever happened after I faced him alone, I think he might have done…something. Something to leave a part of him behind—just in case he lost against Link. It's the only way I can explain it." Midna gulped and glared at the ground in frustration. "I don't know. I just don't know what to _do_ if that's the case."

Dread filled Persephone's heart and enveloped her daughter into a hug, and Midna hid her face into her shoulder. She did not cry, but she just let her mother comfort her wordlessly. It was one of the rare times that Persephone ever felt like a mother anymore.

Midna felt some odd sensation on her hand, but ignored it.

* * *

_"I just don't want to end up like Ganondorf, or Zant. Greedy and insane for power. I don't want to get so used to having amplified powers and want to start craving for more, you know? No matter how good it feels."_

_"You're nothing like either of them, Midna. None of us would ever let you end up like that. I wouldn't let you end up like that."_

_Midna's lips quirked into a little smirk. "I'd expect you to kill me before that ever happened."_

What came to him as a dream in his sleep was more of an exact memory; it was a memory of the night she returned, after she had found him and they spent the night together like they usually did. He still remembered how annoyed he had gotten with her, and the way she smirked at him with a careless and devious twinkle in her eye, like his feelings didn't matter when she said that.

His eyes slowly opened and he was greeted by the rays of the sun streaming into his tree house, the morning birds chirping and singing amongst them and theirs, and the small breeze that had welcomed itself inside through his open windows. He wasn't sure why all of a sudden that memory had returned. The conversation had him so uncomfortable that he willed the memory away from his mind, up until he awoke.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up, hearing murmurs of muddled and familiar voices from outside his tree house. He had a feeling where the morning was going.

"Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink! Feel like herding 'em goats today?" Fado shouted from outside excitedly in a hopeful tone. Yep, he expected that.

Link rolled his eyes and got off the bed. "Only if you give me ten minutes to get ready!" he shouted back, certain that he was heard. _What a way to start the morning_. He hadn't herded any of the goats since his departure, and it seemed like Fado was shamelessly taking advantage of the fact Link was back in town to milk all the herding he could get out of him.

He ran his fingers through his messy bed hair, walking over to a basin of fresh spring water. He splashed his face and washed it, and then dried himself off with a towel quickly. Link tangled his hands up in the cloth to dry off his hands, too, but he saw a bit of a glow; a flash of bright gold, and he stopped.

His triforce was faintly glowing.


	14. Inner Demons

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_God help me.  
Believe me, this wasn't what I wanted, but no,  
I can't leave._

_He's got me._

Chapter Fourteen  
_Inner Demons_

"You felt that too, didn't you?" Zelda said as he approached the castle steps - panting and out of breath, with beads of sweat trickling down his cheek. He had been running all the way through Castle Town once he dropped Epona off and he wasn't sure how she knew to expect him, so surprise colored his face when he saw her standing there. She seemed fine, however, and she had her arms folded in front of her with a contemplative look on her face.

Link put his hands on his knees and caught his breath, squinting his eyes to clear his vision. "You mean—it's not you?" he asked, gasps of air still elusive to him. Zelda responded with a slow shake of her head and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "You're okay?"

The Hyrulean Princess nodded. "I'm perfectly fine, actually. I was going to ask you the same question, but something told me it wasn't you."

Link's eyes went from a narrow slant to absolutely wide. "If it's not you, then--"

"It's possible."

"I have to _go_ then!" Link blurted out hastily and started taking a few steps back. He quickly glanced over to the nearest exit of the castle grounds. "It's going to take me a bit to get to Lake Hylia, and then from there to the desert, but I should make it there before nightfall, definitely, and--"

"I think you should wait."

He looked at her utterly befuddled. "You expect me to _wait_? There's no way in _hell_, Princess. What if something happened? There's already been assassination attempts against her and—"

"She's alive, Link." Zelda tried to be as reasonable and collected as humanly possible. Distress was written all over him, and she was his voice of reason. "Trust me. She _lives_. She's actually scheduled to arrive to Hyrule tomorrow, according to the letter you gave me."

Confusion was too stubborn to leave the traces of his face. He didn't even bother to read the letter he gave to Zelda. It wasn't his business, and he had plenty of other things to worry about. He wasn't sure if he should take Zelda's word for Midna's health right now. Zelda usually he knew best with her whole gift of 'wisdom,' but he sure as hell must have missed the memo that said she was an omniscient seer. "But what if she's hurt?"

"We'll wait for tomorrow," Zelda told him. She was asserting slight authority over him with the way she spoke to him as she stared at him with stubborn eyes. "If she does not arrive at the scheduled time, then yes, go to her, and make sure she is well. But right now I suggest you stay put, Link." She usually never demanded anything from Link, but this time she felt the need to. "It could have been anything."

He was glaring at her. He didn't know that he was, but he definitely was, and Zelda challenged him with a defying glare of her own. When he felt his triforce glow he quickly canceled plans with Fado and said quick, frantic goodbyes to the people of Ordon. They were bewildered and concern with his sudden departure, and he regretted not having a chance to explain. He mounted Epona, his all-eager and willfully loyal companion, and galloped all the way from the Faron Woods until he reached Castle Town. He hastily dropped Epona off at the stables, and ran all the way to the steps of the castle.

His initial fear was that there was something possibly wrong with Princess Zelda. There was just a weird feeling he had, nothing he could explain coherently with a string of words, and she was the first person he thought to go to.

But when he discovered that she was perfectly fine and that she felt the same exact eccentric sensation, his mind immediately went to the final piece of the triangle – Midna.

"What time is she supposed to be here tomorrow?" Link inquired. Whether he noticed the anger seeping into his voice slowly was questionable, but he was being rather challenging towards Princess Zelda. That was something he had never done during the months he's been around her. He had always been respectful to a fault when it came to her.

But when the issues involved Midna, it was an entirely different story, and Zelda was almost certain that Link would defy the wishes of royalty to make sure Midna was safe.

"Her letter said she would arrive in the afternoon. She said she did not need an escort from the Mirror of Twilight, and that she will warp herself outside of Castle Town to not startle the public." She watched Link slowly relax, but he still looked unsure, and she could sense that all he wanted to do is run to the Mirror Chamber. "I will be out there planning to meet her. You are more than welcome to join me, of course."

He contemplated that for a bit. "I'll go with you, just to make sure she's safe."

Princess Zelda raised an eyebrow curiously. "Are you planning to stay long when she's here?"

Link looked away from her curious eyes. "I don't know. Maybe. It really depends how she reacts when she sees me; she might not want anything to do with me at all right now, actually." He tried to act humorous about it and laugh, but it was very weak and sheepish and he rubbed the back of his head.

Guilt marked Zelda's face. "I'm sorry if this has taken away your time at Ordon. You should return if you wish. I don't think there needs to be anything to be concerned about as of yet."

He shook his head. "I can't. I'd rather be here if she's supposed to be coming tomorrow. Ordon will always be there." _Unlike her_. "I already apologized and told them I'd be back as soon as I could. They respect that."

She glided down to the bottom of the steps and stood before him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. "I'm sure she will arrive here tomorrow safely, Link. I _know_ she's alive. I think we would have gotten a much stronger and distinct signal if it were otherwise."

Link nodded slowly. He still didn't like it. That was not news to Zelda.

"Do you remember when you asked me about light and shadow, and whether they mix or not, a day or two ago?"

That was an odd question. He raised his head to meet her gaze and nodded again. "Yeah, I do. What's that got to do with anything?"

"I told you there's something unbalancing the sides," she mumbled quietly and removed her hand, glancing up at the passing clouds of the sky. "And I think I was definitely on to something. What we felt was something like a warning; an omen. And I think Midna felt it too."

"A warning?"

"Yes." Zelda sighed. "It's…I don't know. I cannot shake the feeling of something approaching. Like right now, it's simply the calm of the storm. A terrible storm. But one that's not directly meant for us."

"I don't understand."

"I wish I understood _more_." She lowered her head and looked at Link, who appeared to be equivalent to a lost puppy. Her peach lips formed a faint smile. "And waiting seems to be the only game we can play until then."

"Not a fan of it," Link grumbled with a sigh.

Princess Zelda retreated back into the confines castle, leaving Link unsure of what to do. It was still fairly early and tomorrow seemed so damn far away. He wandered around Castle Town to kill the flow of time, browsing through some sweet apples he didn't have the appetite for and fluorescent flowers he had no one to give to. He visited Telma for briefly and she was always ecstatic to see him, and he forwarded Ilia's regards to the bartender.

Other than that, he really had absolutely _nothing_ to do. It made him anxious. He saw Midna not too long ago and when he arrived, everything had been well, even with his alarming entrance into the Twilight. When he was able to witness that she was fine, alive, and unharmed, everything was fine; even though she tried to hide how stressed and frazzled she was, things were perfect between them.

Until they started to speak and prod the issues that surrounded them, and that simply just blew up in their faces.

He told her that she _would_ see him again. That was the whole purpose of him going with Zelda tomorrow – and the fact that he wanted to make sure she was okay and breathing, complete with a beating heart. Part of him still wanted to completely neglect Zelda's wishes and travel to the desert and open the portal, and the other part obediently obeyed his monarch's demands despite his better judgment. But for the most part, he trusted Zelda, so if Midna was fine, she was absolutely right.

At least, he had _hoped_ so.

When night came Link found it difficult to fall asleep. All he did was toss and turn and stare at the ceiling like it was the most captivating piece of concrete in existence. He would doze in and out, but the anxiety of who tomorrow would bring jolted him back awake. It went on like a vicious cycle throughout the night, until the sun finally rose and invaded the darkness that once enveloped the confines of the bedroom. He only had about two hours of successful, undisturbed sleep before he decided to finally give up, sigh, and irritably kick the soft fabric of the blankets wrapped around him.

_This is stupid._

Part of him became aggravated with how the thought of one single person affected him; he didn't like it, no matter how much he cared for the Twilight Princess. Sometimes, just sometimes, functioning became difficult because of it.

The only other person he knew that was probably up this early was Princess Zelda and a good majority of her vast employees. He bathed himself quickly for the day and dressed, running his fingers through his hair to comb any of the knots out, and made his way into Princess Zelda's dining hall. Breakfast would probably be served, and the depths of his stomach made it apparent that it wanted to be filled up with something good.

Except he didn't see Zelda at the table at all when he arrived. There weren't any signs implying someone ate at all; the only person there was an elderly maid, humming to herself and polishing utensils laid on the table until they shined like knew. Link blinked. _Weird_.

"Hey, do you know where the Princess is?" Link looked around. "She's usually up and eating by now."

"Ah, yes!" exclaimed the maid, tapping her chin. "I believe she received a visitor earlier, actually. Some woman. I believe she's currently in her library with her, from what I've heard. She said she was coming to breakfast shortly."

Link froze. _She's here already?_ He was under the impression she wasn't supposed to arrive until noon, unless Zelda lied to him or Midna just came earlier than expect, but he doubted Zelda would lie to him. Whatever the reason was, it didn't matter. "Do you know what she looked like?" He regretted how eager his voice sounded, and the maid stopped to think.

"I heard some guards speak, but I dare not repeat what they said. You know, vulgarities of the two worst kinds." The woman shrugged and continued to polished some of the eating utensils. "Heard she was odd looking though. Heard of them arguing whether she was a freak or attractive. You know how those military _boys_ are."

"No kidding." Link gritted his teeth, his fingers twitching involuntarily; if they had a mind of their own, they would be the ones leading him to find those particular guards and give them a decent scare to soil those chain mail trousers of theirs. "I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

"You sure?" The maid blinked. "We've got really good pancakes this morning!" Her words seemed lost to the Hero, because he quickly turned around and almost sprinted out of the dining area. The maid shook her head in disappointment. "Looks like the power of women, yet again, defy the power of pancakes..."

It didn't take long at all for him to arrive before the doors of the library. There were no guards around and the doors were closed shut, and he assumed they were locked. He held his fist up to knock, but he paused and slowly stepped back, unsure of what to do. His presence probably wouldn't be preferred if the two matriarchs discussed their politics. It was not his field of expertise at all. And if he was by any chance present, he would probably interrupt them by snoring as he fell asleep.

Link grunted. It was technically best to wait, but he didn't know how long it would take them. He took a few steps towards the doors again and slowly leaned in, pressing his ear against the wood. He heard two voices he was very familiar with – the soft, maternal-sounding voice of the Princess Zelda, and Midna's, who's voice tended to resemble the tinkle of bells sometimes even in her true form.

It was definitely her. She was alive. And she was on the other side of this door.

Link closed his eyes in relief.

He didn't really understand what they were saying. The voices were distant but distinct, and at one point he heard Midna talk and then abruptly stop. There was silence. Link pressed his ear closer and looked perplexed. He didn't hear Zelda's voice either, come to think of it.

_Weird_, he thought to himself.

The next thing he knew, the doorknob turned and there was a small 'click,' and the door was pulled away from him. He stumbled forward and fell onto his knees with a startled yelp, and he was greeted by bare feet and a long, black skirt.

"You were right," Zelda said, surprise dominating her voice.

"I told you," he heard Midna say smugly. "Ten rupees, Princess. You better pay up."

Link looked absolutely _flustered_. He scrambled back onto his feet and shoved the floppy end of his hat away from his eyes. Midna stood there smirking arrogantly while Zelda stood next to her looking thoroughly disappointed, although interestingly enough not at him.

"Sorry!" He waved his arms spastically. "I was just—I thought you were coming later, and then someone told me the Princess was with you—so—I came—and—well…" He paused and then raised an eyebrow at them both. "Wait. Why does Princess Zelda owe you ten rupees?"

Midna's smirk remained. "Because I told her that you would be at the door listening in like an eavesdropping girl. She doubted me, and I just proved her wrong."

Link glanced at Zelda. She looked guilty. "Sorry."

"No, don't be." He sighed and then smacked his forehead. "Apparently _I'm_ the one that let you down."

"Bets on your predictability aside, I assume you would like to sit in throughout our meeting? Although I can't think of anything helpful you could contribute with." Midna quirked an eyebrow at him, cocking her head to the side.

He wasn't sure how he expected this meeting to end up like. They had left on rocky, shaky grounds the last time they uttered words to each other, but she acted as if nothing ever happened between them, even though the memory of everything said to each other lingered heavily between them. He found it uncomfortably awkward, but at the same time, not so much. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

Maybe it was better that way.

Before Link responded, Zelda intervened. "It wouldn't hurt. I think Link could have some important suggestions to contribute." Midna looked at her with an expression that screamed _are you serious?_ and Zelda shrugged, sending Link a small smile. "Come inside. I'll get someone to bring us some breakfast here. I'm sure both of you are very hungry."

Link nodded slowly, still unsure if he even really wanted to stick around. Zelda allowed Midna and Link inside before excusing herself politely and announcing she would return in a couple of minutes. Both of them took a seat in front of her desk, and an uncomfortable, unwelcomed silence settled in between them. Midna fiddled with her sleeves looking bored and tried her best to ignore it. Link, on the other hand, felt a little anxious and uncertain; he wasn't sure how the lack of words could be so suffocating, so pressuring.

"So…how're things?" It was his feeble attempt to start a conversation after the pregnant silence.

"The same."

"No change?"

Midna rolled her eyes. "Really, Link? We only haven't seen each other for, what? Two days or something? Not much _can_ change."

Link looked away from her. "I was just _asking_."

The Twilight Princess felt a little pang of guilt inside her. Her response had no reason to sound condescending, but it was more like a desperate defense mechanism. She was a stubborn woman and did not like to admit the little bits of hurt she felt every time she looked at him. This was her _friend_ for crying out loud. Her friendship with him was the rock of all this and it was too important and too precious to throw away, even if she wished things ended differently.

Although both seemed to be very aware of the fact that it was close to impossible.

Midna let out a sigh. Link still didn't look at her. She shifted in her chair and then decided to spontaneously lift her legs and use Link's lap as a leg rest. The look she earned from him made her giggle, and her lips quirked into a tiny smirk. "What? Your lap looked comfy." Her toes wiggled at him. "And my feet like to be comfortable."

Link was viewing her warily. Part of him wanted to point out that she changed moods too damn much at the drop of a hat and it was the most aggravating thing ever right now. But he held his tongue wisely, and it took him a few moments to realize that this gesture was a subtle attempt on her behalf to go back to how things were between them before those feelings of whatever origin came into existence. This was her attempt to apologize. And her way own unique way of saying, _You're still my friend._

His frown slowly turned into a small smile and he relaxed into the chair more. The tension between them was slowly melted away. "So, what made you come early?"

"Honestly? I had my times confused." She looked a little sheepish. "I guess part of me completely forgot what time I told her I'd be here, or something."

"That's smooth of you," Link sarcastically remarked as he examined her carefully, almost with a suspicious edge that Midna didn't get the opportunity to notice.

"Shut up." She stuck her foot into his face and he tried to shield himself.

When Princess Zelda walked in on them, she was at least relieved she wasn't walking in on a dramatic quarrel worthy of a theatrical award. She almost regretted leaving them when she exited her library, and was afraid of what she would return to, but she was genuinely surprised to see them laughing at each other about something. She stayed at the doorway and smiled, amused at their antics. _At least some things never change._ And her furniture remained untouched and still in tact, so that was a delightful advantage.

Zelda cleared her throat, and both Link and Midna turned their attentions to her. "The food will be brought to us. I apologize for making you wait."

Once Zelda took her seat, the atmosphere went right down to business. Both princesses were engaged in heavy conversation that mostly went over Link's head, but he wasn't stupid. He understood _some_ things. Both discussed the rebuilding of each world and went over how much both worlds knew about each other. The general populace of Hyrule was completely oblivious, while Midna's people were fully aware of an existing world next to theirs and discussed the affects of that.

Even when the food arrived, they were still heavily engaged in conversation. Sometimes they would debate about something they both disagreed on until they reached a mutual agreement, other times they had agreed to leave another issue for another date. Link honestly never thought there was so much to discuss and while he tried to keep up (for the most part), he found himself dozing off in his chair at the sounds of the chattering women.

"So, should I mention to him how you were found this morning, or should I leave that explanation to you?" It only took a split second for Zelda to be on the receiving end of red, glaring eyes. Her gloved fingers touched the rim of her wine glass and there was a small hum sung by the inanimate object. "He's asleep, Midna. I've got the feeling he had trouble going to bed."

Midna glimpsed at Link. He was sinking into his chair, the tip of his hat falling over his closed eyes and his mouth hung open, the occasional snore letting itself be heard. "Do you have some sort of fascination with telling him anything and everything that happens to me? Or concerns me, for that matter?" She crossed her legs and tilted her head to the side. Her words fell into a quiet whisper; she wasn't about to wake him up. "Your concern for him is touching. Really. But there's a phrase called 'mind your own business.'"

Hyrule's princess seemed to have infinite patience. The condescending tone Midna faced her with did not even flare the slightest spark of anger. "What I don't understand is your continuous attempt to keep things from him. You know how much that hurts him more than it frustrates him. What are you trying to protect him from, exactly?"

"And what are you trying to accomplish with bringing him up in every damn conversation we have, Zelda?" She didn't like how their discussion went from explaining the politics of their world to personal matters, and Midna was not one to flaunt her personal matters. She absolutely detested it when it was brought up – especially by other people. She raked her memory to ever even remember an incident where someone's relationship with another person was under the spotlight so much. Link and her were damned from the start, and people seemed to keep reminding her of that mercilessly.

"It's an attempt to make both of you stop acting like children and talk about things, instead of dancing around issues that need to be openly discussed." Princess Zelda straightened her posture and narrowed her eyes at Midna. "I do forgive for intruding in business that, essentially, really is not mine. But you have to realize that your connection with him is something that will never be looked over. Both of your origins are your stigmas, and it is unfair. However, you cannot deny that you will lose him _permanently_ if you continue to hide things from him. You won't have a friend to go back to."

Link made a strange sound in his slumber and stirred, and both princesses watched him warily until they were both rest assured that he was still unconscious and off to dream land. Zelda's eyes continued to bore into Midna and the Twilight Princess was unsure of how to respond. Zelda had a point. She somehow always had a point. Trying to forget the words Link told her when he was explicitly saying that he _hated_ how she kept things hidden from him was near to impossible.

But some things just couldn't be said. Some things were just hard to explain. And some things – or, maybe even everything – were things Midna wanted to take on her own.

"You've made your point, Zelda."

Zelda was honestly expecting a more elongated, long-winded answer to that. "Then I'll drop it."

"You know, maybe _you_ should court him or something. You worry about his personal life far too much already."

Snorting, Zelda rolled her eyes. "I would rather not. Honestly, I would probably feel more comfortable if I courted _you_ instead."

Both of Midna's eyebrows rose in surprise. She was almost sure Zelda indirectly proposed to her. "You switching teams on me, Princess?"

Zelda tried not to slap her own forehead. A flare of frustration sparked, but she contained it and gave Midna a serene glower. "No, Midna. I'm trying to make a point. Link is a good man, but I do not know him well enough, nor can I ever imagine myself on that level of comfort with him. Unlike him, I know you fairly well."

Midna thought about that for a moment. "Well, I guess that's what happens when you're in my head for months on end. Anyway, may I excuse myself, _princess_?" Sarcasm seeped through her words and Zelda tried not to sigh.

"You are welcome anywhere throughout the Palace, Midna." Worry filled Zelda's eyes and her voice became hushed. "Just…I recommend you not leave today. Wait until tomorrow. You still might be weak."

"I'm just coming down with a bit of a sickness." Midna chuckled cautiously and rose to her feet. "It's spreading through the palace back home; Mother transferred it to me. Go figure."

"I can arrange some tea and medicine to be brought to you," Zelda offered and bit her lip.

Midna waved a hand at her dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's more annoying than anything; I'll feel better soon."

"If you insist."

Midna tried avoiding Zelda's gaze as much as possible. It almost felt like if she looked at her too long, she would eventually find out something she did not want to be known just by staring. It was an uncomfortable, unrealistic feeling, but Zelda wasn't stupid. Midna was convinced she and her mother had this under control with their own methods, and they had hoped they could keep everyone else out of it.

Before turning to leave, she reached over to ruffle Link's hair softly and mess his hat up. "Send him to bed."

Zelda said nothing. Midna turned to finally leave, and when the doors closed, Link's eyes slowly opened.

"Good luck," Zelda told him.

* * *

_Midna didn't know where she was. This was becoming annoying._

_"Between you and me, I always through you were the more preferable princess," she heard him say. His tone was light and conversational, as if they were friends catching up on old times. It made her sick. "When Princess Zelda dropped her blade at Zant's feet, she waited until someone appeared to save her kingdom. She was just standing in her tower, doing nothing. You remember, don't you?"_

_She seemed bored. She was tired at looking at him. Instead she just stared at the shackles around her wrist, pulling at the chains, even though she knew she couldn't get herself free._

_"But not you. Even under a curse, you escaped his eyes and found the first fool to help you. You played your cards right; wrapping that hero around that little pinky of yours, using his heart against him, to restore your world and take back your throne."_

_"I can't wait until I wake up," Midna said as she shook her chains boredly._

_"Ignoring me can only get you so far."_

_"You just talk too much."_

_"You only say that because you know I have a point." Ganondorf grinned. His white teeth showed brightly against his darkly tanned skin and he saw the Twilight Princess twitch, just a little. "There's a reason why it was you, Princess Midna. We're the same."_

_"Uh. No. We're not."_

_He was suddenly closer to her. He was closer to her than she would have ever definitely liked him to. He knelt and grabbed her wrists, the grin on his face remaining, and he pressed their faces together closely so their noses touched. Her instinct was to jerk away and move to the farthest corner possible, but that familiar feeling of being paralyzed overwhelmed her again._

_She couldn't move. Again._

_"But we are," Ganondorf insisted. The shackles on her wrists disappeared into grains of dust and he held her hands. "You use and abuse and I'll be damned, princess, if you don't want the power you're feeling now. That triforce gives you a rush, doesn't it? Can't stop using your magic. You keep using it to go the smallest of distances, just to satisfy yourself; you use it to light the smallest of candles, just to feel the sparks on your fingertips. You use it when you don't need it just to feel it. It's an addiction you can't fix. I know the feeling. I don't blame you."_

_Midna couldn't find her voice. She couldn't call his bluff because she wasn't even sure if there was one._

_He brushed her hair to the side with the most disturbing tenderness and he moved his lips against her ear, whispering. "See? You're a monster just like me."_


	15. Intermission: The Turning of the World

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Without you, the hand gropes, the ear hears,  
The pulse beats.  
Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walk,  
The lungs breathe.  
The mind churns, the heart yearns.  
And the tears try without you.  
_  
Chapter Fifteen  
_The Turning of the World_

Midna's nap was disrupted when someone opened the door and promptly kicked it shut; the loud slam making her cringe. It took her several seconds to remember that she was in the Light Realm, even with the bright streams of sun rays filtering into the bedroom Zelda was having her stay. Her eyes traveled to the door and she saw Link with an expression she couldn't describe, holding a tray of tea and other things she wasn't all that coherent enough to identify.

"Being a maid doesn't suit you." She was surprised how raspy her voice sounded, but she figured it was due from her waking up. She must have fallen asleep for at least an hour or two. "Neither does glaring at me, actually."

He _was_ glaring at her. He said nothing so far. Midna rolled her eyes and sat up in bed. Her limbs felt shaky and unexplainably weak as she moved; like there was jelly in her veins instead of hot blood. She _must_ be in trouble and she could only assume Zelda had said something about their earlier conversation to him. It was the only thing that could explain his attitude.

He approached her and set the tray down on to the end table, and then just invited himself to sit on the edge of the bed. He grabbed a teacup and saucer from the tray and held it to her. "Here."

"I'm not thirsty."

"Well, it's not here to quench your thirst, Midna," Link said with a slight snap in his words. He continued to glower at her and kept holding the tea. "You're sick. And don't tell me you aren't, because if being found out of breath and almost passed out under a tree just outside of Castle Town doesn't equate to being sick, well, I don't know what the hell _is_."

"You spoke to Zelda," Midna concluded dryly.

"Nope."

She looked perplexed and reluctantly grasped the teacup with her fingers. It was warm against her skin and the tea practically breathed an aroma of sweet, tangy honey. "I don't understand."

"I just heard you guys."

Midna was about to slowly take a sip from the tea but stopped. They stared at each other wordlessly, trying to interpret just what that could exactly imply and she didn't like the odd feeling that sunk to the bottom of her belly.

"So, is it a cold, or something? A virus?"

_A cold, or something_, Midna repeated in her head and she tried not to snort. If that were only it.

But she had to keep lying to him, even if it was killing her.

"Something along those lines," she said quietly and finally sipped her tea. "It's just making me really tired. Mother has it, but she's just now getting over it. She was ever so kind enough to pass it along to me. She tried to convince me to stay home today, actually." _That_ wasn't a direct lie. Persephone did try to make her stay. She didn't want her to leave the palace, let alone the realm, until they had everything under control until they found a permanent solution. But Midna knew if she didn't show up, Link would come back with an unsheathed sword and his iron boots to make _someone_ hurt.

Link nodded to express understanding. He fiddled his thumbs and tapped his foot and there was just something about him that told her he was either impatient or annoyed.

Midna said nothing to him and continued to drink the tea.

"Are you ever going to tell me anything, or should I just stop trying?"

She was expecting this. "Are we going to argue again? I'm telling you right now – I don't feel like it."

His shoulders shrugged and he kicked at the ground. He didn't even look at her. "Actually, that's really up to you. You can give me a yes or no answer. I just need to know, so I can tell myself to get over myself every time I find out something that you should have told me."

She tried not to sigh. She set the teacup back down on the tray and leaned against the headboard of the bed, holding her head. "I don't know what you want me to say. You can't just rush me, Link."

"I'm not rushing you for _anything_. I'm just asking you to try, because you sure as hell aren't even doing that." He was frustrated and this was just making her head hurt. It was the same thing, over and over, and she was tired of it all. "I thought being friends would make it easier, Midna. I thought it would fix all this."

"You can't fix whatever 'this' is when you made a decision without even _consulting_ me, Link," Midna remarked bitterly as her fingers curled into fists. "We're just going to have to get over it. The world won't end just because we do."

"Where is that going to leave us?"

"Where we are now." He looked at her questioningly. He was even unsure of what _that_ was and Midna sneered at him. "Friends. Just very bitter friends."

* * *

Very bitter friends are what they stayed.

Both of them were mad at each other, were mad at themselves, and were especially infuriated with the way everything had ended up between them. Neither of them voiced it to each other or to anyone else, even though spite was boiling. Everyone around them knew something had happened between them but they said nothing, and Link and Midna willfully ignored questioning eyes. It was all supposed to be done and over.

Bitter as they were, they stayed friends. They argued and sometimes ignored each other on purpose, but above it all, they were still friends.

Visits from Midna were infrequent, however. Traveling back and forth from both worlds grew to be exhausting and tedious, and there was only a certain amount of time she felt comfortable staying away from her own world. Hyrule had flourished stronger than ever, with the Gorons and Zoras frequently roaming through the market and providing their own businesses. The walls of the castle were finally completely finished and everything returned to its normal rhythm.

Eventually Midna could say that about the Twilight. It took longer than Hyrule did, as it was her people that were definitely not oblivious as to what happened to them, so she was obligated to deal with the political and social issues that it brought. Link had become an unofficial messenger of sorts from both worlds, often delivering messages to each princess from each other if neither of them could deliver it personally.

He was greeted into the Twilight much more warmly every time. Persephone was always cordial but she did not speak to him unless it was necessary; seeing him just reminded her of what she had done. Link was perfectly fine with their minimal conversation. Minerva had often seen him around the palace and was genuinely pleased to see him every time, and Caleb even had the opportunity to apologize to Link, although he still seemed hesitant towards the Hero.

But he started warming up to him, which was a good sign and it made Midna much more cordial towards him. Link was utterly surprised to learn that Caleb and Minerva were married. When Minerva told him, he looked at her as if she grew two heads and a third eye and she laughed.

"I get that reaction all the time." Her lips broke into a coy smile. "Like Cheron always says, Caleb is truly a dumbass, but he's _my_ dumbass, and he usually means well. Key word being usually, of course." Minerva winked at him. It took Link a few minutes to get over _that_ news.

Things started to change, however, just like Midna once told her mother.

Neither of them ever shared the same bed even if they knew they would keep it platonic. It was odd being under the same roof but not in the same room at first, and both of them didn't like it. It was obvious to each of them, but they chose to say nothing about it. They would suck it up and deal with it responsibly. They would no longer hold hands or lean against each other; not even the slightest bit of a brush against skin. They hated it, but it was supposed to be for the best.

Eventually, Link started to see Midna less and less.

The few times that she _did_ cross into Hyrule, she had brought someone with her. It was a man of the Twilight of intimidating height and built and it was safe to say he was twice as bigger as Link himself. He had unusually long hair and numerous thin black braids woven into it, crossed with dark beads and what seemed to be feathers – Link wasn't entirely sure. He acted like a bodyguard when it came to Midna and said absolutely nothing unless he was directly spoken to.

He once asked her what the heck was up with that guy, and she shrugged. "My mother is just taking precautions. You know how she is – crazy and all."

Link did not believe her. He knew there was something she was keeping to herself.

There wasn't anything about the man Link could dislike him for. Upon his third time in meeting this mysterious bodyguard, he learned his name to be Anhur. It was an odd name, but Link simply just thought about his own name and tossed any eccentricity to the side. Anhur was a gentle giant and polite to the bone. Whatever irrational jealousy he felt towards the man was never acted upon, but he really wanted to know just _why_ Persephone apparently started to suggest a bodyguard for her daughter. He also wanted to know why Midna would even agree to it. It was Midna, of all people, and she was the one that always insisted she could take care of herself just fine.

So one day, Link decided to approach Anhur when he was by himself waiting for Midna to come out of a meeting with Zelda.

"Midna usually doesn't take well to bodyguards," Link started casually and leaned against a wall, folding his arms over his chest. "She usually would send them to the curb at the suggestion of one. I just don't understand why she has you all of a sudden."

"The orders of the High Priestess," Anhur said quietly.

"Any reason why?"

"Yes."

Link quirked an eyebrow at him expectantly. "And those are?"

Anhur sat in silence for several moments before responding. "They're not my reasons to say, except that my majesty needs my presence."

He knew that there _was_ something going on. There were reasons as to why Anhur hung around Midna with a watchful eye, and there were reasons that eluded Link completely because she was not going to tell him. It was the same game again, and it was a game he was tired of playing, even if he was worried, and even if the claws of curiosity were tearing his stomach apart.

He expressed his aggravation to Princess Zelda one day after a few days of Midna's recent departure. They were both in the dining hall – the only ones there, actually – and Link had been picking at his food with growing rage. Zelda, curious, inquired what had been troubling him, and Link stabbed his meat with his knife as if he was piercing some annoying creature that stumbled onto him in Hyrule field.

"Watch her end up being courted to the guy, or something," he grumbled underneath his breath. He took more pleasure in tearing apart his food with his utensil rather than chewing and swallowing. "I can't figure out any other reason why he comes with her all the time. And it's probably all because of Persephone, too."

"Have you asked her?" Zelda piped up questioningly, taking his aggravation to a stride.

Link snorted at his princess. "No. I don't think she'd tell me. She never tells me anything, remember?"

Princess Zelda calmly sliced her chicken into pieces, purposefully neglecting the angry sounds of food being chewed and grounded. "I asked her, and she told me," she said serenely. _Three, two..._

He froze and dropped his eating utensils, looking at her with puzzlement. "She did?"

She stabbed her meat with her fork and paused, before lifting it and holding it in front of her mouth thoughtfully. "Sort of."

"_And_?"

"It was an ambiguous answer."

"It's still an answer I don't have," he pointed out stubbornly.

A sigh fled her lips and she laid her fork down to her plate. "The only thing she told me is that she fell into a chronic illness of sorts, which makes sense, I guess. She has been lethargic and plagued with headaches often. Our meetings lately have been cut short because she's so weak. Her mother assigned her a shaman to stay with her here, just in case she became worse. I've seen him tend to her when it was too much for her."

Link wasn't unfamiliar with the fact that Midna had been sick. She had been sick for awhile, actually, but she hid it well. She didn't like the special attention nor the cautious manner Zelda and Link had often treated her with, so she simply made her best effort to _not_ seem ill. It had worked for the most part.

It made him die a little inside with so much worry, though. "How sick is she, exactly?" Link asked with a quiet voice and he glanced up at Zelda, almost wincing.

"I can't say. I just think she's hiding something else."

"You noticed?"

"More like I felt it." Link watched her with puzzled eyes and Zelda stared at her food solemnly. "She's a closed book. She'll only let you read the pages she wants you to. Whatever is going on with her, she thinks she can handle it by herself and with the help of her mother's sorcery." The princess shut her eyes and sighed. "It just feels like the calm before the storm, and she's trying to protect us from it. Whatever it may be."

"She would try that." Link lost his appetite and ran his hand against his face, trying to calm down his frustration.

Zelda smiled sadly. "She's done it before."

Link knew exactly what she was referring to. He remembered when it was clear that Ganondorf had not been defeated, and he could never forget the way those old relics circled her little imp form. He remembered reaching out to her, trying to make her stop doing something so stupid and reckless, but she had removed Zelda and him away and to safer grounds to keep them safe. She faced Ganondorf all by herself and even _lost_.

He didn't like remembering that even knowing the outcome. In the end she came out alive and perfectly fine, but he still didn't like how ready she was to face him and die to keep them safe.

"Oh, and your concern about Anhur courting her?" Link broke away from the road of nostalgia and glimpsed at Princess Zelda, who took a bite of her chicken, and politely waited until she was done chewing to continue speaking. "I would dismiss it. There's nothing to worry about."

"Why?"

"He has a partner," Zelda replied slowly, an almost devious grin appearing on her face. He had _never_ seen that look on her. "A male partner at that, actually. I believe Midna withheld that information just to get a rise from you."

"…she would," Link replied blankly, trying to think that one over.

But just like Midna had told Persephone, life would go on. Even if things were still sore and damaged between the beast and the beauty, the worlds continued their spinning, the time still continued to flow. The birds still sung, the grass still grew, and people laughed and smiled. The world did not end just because theirs had stopped turning. The people of Hyrule and the Twilight still cried, still endured, still carried on, and so did Midna and Link; they did their duties and they still had their friends.

It just didn't feel like they had each other, even with their vows of being friends. It wasn't the same, even if they still grinned and fought with each other. Even if they breathed and their hearts continued to beat, and no matter how much time spent, it just wasn't the same.

Even after all the months that passed, it was never the same.

_Life goes on, but I'm gone,  
'cause I die without you._


	16. Crownless

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_  
Every finger in the room  
is pointing at me.  
I wanna spit in their faces,  
then I get afraid of what that could bring.  
I got a bowling ball in my stomach,  
I got a desert in my mouth.  
Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now._

Chapter Sixteen  
_Crownless_

"Exile me," she whispered. She didn't fight back or struggle against the metal chains and shackles that kept her bound to the ground. All eyes were on her – wary, betrayed, confused, and hesitant. They weren't sure what to do, and some were still taking in the fact that their ruler was trapped and essentially immobile. The entire court circled her, and Persephone took the chair her daughter would originally occupy grimly. "Or kill me. Pick one. We have limited options, here."

Persephone resisted the urge to slap her daughter across the face. "Killing you is unacceptable, Midna," she said, trying to sound as if she had the same authority as her child did. It didn't work very well. "It wasn't your fault. There's—there's something we have to do to _help_ you. What happened wasn't your fault. It wasn't." Her mother was pleading.

"It's difficult to say it wasn't her fault when the blood remains in her hands." Cheron's voice was lifeless. He neither looked at the High Priestess or the bound princess and kept his stare dully fixated on a corner of a table. He tapped his fingers against the marble as if he were in thought. "It's... a lot of blood."

The blood he referred to was both metaphorical and literal. Midna was on her knees with disheveled hair that was pulled out from its regular tie and spread out like waves of fire. Her skin had more of an ashy blue tone to it, and there were heavy bags under her eyes. Her chest rose and fell at short, rapid paces and her lips were parted for what seemed to be gasps of air, and her hands and face were crusted in old, dark blood.

She did not have a single wound on her, because the blood wasn't _hers_.

Persephone's eyes slanted into a venomous glare at Cheron's direction and she dug her nails into her skin. "We are _not_ killing her."

"We don't have many choices, Mother," she heard Midna gasp out. "We tried all we could."

"I don't suggest killing her, no," Cheron continued and gazed up at Persephone gravely. "But that is my own bias because of my fondness for the princess." It wasn't often that Cheron spoke formally. He was a very light-hearted, casual man with an eternal boyish soul. But this wasn't the time to make jokes or laugh lightly at things. "Much of us feel betrayed that we were not aware of the…_mark_ bestowed on the princess. And from what you've told us, there's much that you've tried that has _not_ been successful."

That was one mistake Persephone and Midna did. They kept the appearance of the mark hidden to everyone except for Anhur, who participated in hiding their secret and trying to help the High Priestess come with ritualistic remedies to exorcise that damned monster in her.

But their attempts failed. And now they were faced with an almost entirely annihilated village, and a dead council member.

It turned out that the more Midna used her power, the more he – and she wouldn't even tarnish her tongue by uttering his name - devoured her from the inside, the more he came to surface. He would take over Midna's face and grin with her lips, gaze with her eyes, and move with her body without anyone noticing.

He was killing her from the inside.

They had tried to take matters into their own hands and ultimately failed.

"Even _if_ we tried killing her, I don't think the bastard within her would let it happen. We're far too weak to take her down, regardless." It almost relieved Cheron that they really weren't able to kill her – they would trigger something none of the Twili were able to face. He was certain that many of the members disagreed and wanted to yell out '_off with her head_!' "There is nothing we can do for her here."

Silence filled the courtroom again except for Midna's erratic breathing. All Persephone wanted to do is descend to the center of the room and scoop her into her arms and keep her safe, but she knew Midna wouldn't have it. The princess wanted all hands off her. She didn't want pity or the sympathetic eyes – and she accepted whatever hate was directed to her.

She felt like she deserved it.

Anhur slowly rose to his feet and when they heard the movement, all eyes were on him. Midna squinted, trying to clear her vision, but it was fuzzy and blurry. She knew she wasn't dead, but it sure felt like she would be dead soon. "Master Cheron speaks the truth," the shaman agreed and approached the trapped princess. Many of the council members looked alarmed and stood up just in case of an unexpected attack, but Midna barely budged from where she was. She couldn't. Anhur knelt down and pressed a hand against her forehead. "There is nothing we can do for her here. Her only cure lies in those of the other world. That mark is theirs."

"I'm _not_ going there." Midna hissed and glared at Anhur. He was staring at her with calm but blank eyes. "I—I might hurt them. Just like I hurt _her_."

It was the first time any of the council members heard their princess' voice break and crumble.

"You have no choice, your highness."

"Exile her to the Realm of Light," Persephone whispered grimly. "If there's anyone who could help her – anyone – it's _him_."

"The Sacred Beast?" Vesta eyed Persephone skeptically. "Are you certain?"

"It is him and the Princess of Light that bear the mark similar to hers." The High Priestess closed her eyes and covered her face, breathing a shaky breath of air. "It's the only way. And I think she knows it, too, if she wants to get rid of that _demon_."

Cheron nodded sagely and stood up. The rest of the council members followed his example, and all eyes were back to the center of the room, where Midna was attached to chains and comforted by Anhur's gentle hand. "It's the only thing we can do. We must exile her."

Action was taken immediately. The council members agreed that they did not want to trigger another episode. They were still doing damage control on the slaughtered village from before, and they had all appointed Midna far too dangerous to be midst the public and her palace. Only a few people came to the underground chamber – Persephone, of course, because it was her who would personally escort Midna to the other side. Anhur would remain during their momentary absence in the chamber, and Cheron and Vesta would witness it for the rest of the court.

Caleb invited himself to come along and no one protested or questioned.

The illusory magic was removed and the mirror was revealed; magnificent and almost menacing in size as it towered over the people of Twilight. Midna remained shackled and held by the strong hands of Anhur out of precaution.

"You can't use anymore magic," Persephone whispered quietly, trying to get rid of the hard, uncomfortable knot in her throat. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she tried to be strong. She tried. "No more warping, no simple spells. He will try to surface again. You will have to go without it until you expel him from your body."

Midna nodded her head numbly.

The High Priestess kept her back to the others as she stared at the mirror. "It's all will, Midna. You can fight him. But it won't be painless. And you can't do it alone."

"Come back to us," said Cheron, not daring to look at Caleb. He almost felt like he was betraying his council member. "The people here need you. The Twilight will crumble."

"Part of it already _has_." Vesta was the less sympathetic elder of the council. She was a crone amongst them; hard, cold, and unforgiving, and she glared daggers at the princess. Cheron scowled at her but Vesta completely ignored him, standing her ground. "If you do return, there a voluminous amount of damage to repair, and the chances of you gaining their trust back are slim. You are stripped of your crown and title as princess."

That was something to be already expected and decided. No one just wanted to say it.

"That doesn't mean much, Vesta."

All of them turned their heads to look at the person who said those words. Caleb had remained quiet for the most part, and the arrogance often carried in his voice was missing. He looked as if the life had been sucked out of him and his voice was quiet. "You can take her crown and throne, but you can't take away what the Shadows have bestowed on her. She's still important, ruler or not."

It was hard to tell where he was going with this and what side he was taking – if there _were_ any sides he could take.

"Minerva always told me about when you were titled the Lady of the Beasts." Midna clenched her eyes shut and lowered her head. "You were made princess for that, because of the legend of the Sacred Beast coming forth, and you being his tamer. You were supposed to help him free us, and you did."

Caleb approached Anhur and Midna and she opened her eyes, guilt filling them to the core. "I know it wasn't you." She still wasn't convinced. "So, for her sake, you better beat him. Kill the bastard that did this to her, Midna." He addressed her informally. There was no more 'princess' or 'your highness.' "You owe Minerva that much."

Midna nodded slowly.

"Now go." Even though he knew it wasn't her fault, he could only stand to look at the face that killed his wife mercilessly for so long.

Anhur entrusted Midna over to her mother, and Persephone took Midna's arm gingerly and led her over to the mirror. In a matter of seconds, they were sucked through the portal, and Midna never got the chance to look back at the faces of her people.

* * *

Persephone left her daughter on the sandy floors of the chamber. She stood on the steps of the portal, watching Midna lay their numbly. The shackles and chains that bound her vanished into little black particles. Persephone was letting her free.

"I'm sorry."

Midna's eyes closed. "You have nothing to apologize for. It has to be done."

The High Priestess of Twilight wanted to scream at her daughter. She wanted to slap her, shake her, and cry, and tell her that she didn't want her to leave. She wanted her daughter safe and sound and _home_, but she knew Midna wasn't safe. And neither were the innocent people around her unless she got some sort of help, and the only people that could help her were _there_. Dozens amongst dozens died by her hands, one of them being Minerva in an attempt to stop the possessed princess, and Midna was taking her punishment all too well.

Midna was always good at doing what was necessary. She was always good at taking responsibility.

"Find him," Persephone demanded. Her words were filled with broken desperation and she glared at Midna, who was pitiful and kneeling on the ground. "Find Link. Don't be stubborn or proud – you know he would help you, and risk everything to make you safe again. That's your beast, Midna."

She said nothing to her mother.

Persephone did not descend from the steps. "I love you, darling." Midna looked up at her when she said that, and all Persephone saw was the little devious child she had birthed and raised. Persephone was crying. "Find your way back."

One tear slid from her cheek, and as if it had a mind of its own, it floated in the air and collided with the mirror.

It shattered into millions and millions of archaic glass pieces, and Persephone was gone.

Midna was now feeling the weight of the crusted dry blood clinging to her skin. She was now aware of the weight of the itty-bitty scintillating shards of glass that had fallen from the mirror's destruction; clinging to her hair and her once clean garbs. The mirror was destroyed and Midna couldn't help stare where her mother once stood. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye, or tell her that she loved her too.

After several seconds passed, she felt several eyes on her.

Midna swallowed and slowly started to push herself up onto her feet, her legs stumbling and desperately trying to find balance. "If you're trying to kick me out," she started hoarsely, her throat feeling dry. "It's a moot point. As you can plainly see, I'm stuck here."

She turned and she saw all the Sages in their usual line. They hovered from the ground and glowed brightly in the palest white. "We did not – could not – foresee this, Twilight Princess."

"Can't really call me that anymore, you old geezers." A smirk appeared on her face. "Got my throne and crown stripped from me. And it wasn't even by some crazy ole' idiot who was on a power craze." She laughed without mirth and the Sages listened. "Man, do I have the worst luck, or not? Sometimes I wonder even if I was _meant_ to be a princess. I get kicked out _somehow_."

All the Sages glanced at each other briefly. "You must find the Hero."

Midna's face hardened. "All you can do is state the obvious, apparently."

"We will only offer our guidance after the evil has been stripped from you," spoke the Sage of Shadow. "To do that, you _must_ have the Chosen Hero with you."

They vanished into thin air as if they were never there, and Midna wondered if it would even hurt them if she threw rocks at them. They were aggravating and cryptic, and they already told her information she knew. The general consensus of everyone was 'Find Link!'

It came down to that yet again.

She was left alone, even though she knew the Sages were on some other plane watching her closely. She was so accustomed to simply warping to her destinations, but she knew better. Magic was not at her disposal; it posed as an enemy now. She was left to her own devices. She was just lucky enough that she traveled in Hyrule so much that she knew her way around.

She made her way to the open vastness of the Gerudo Desert and began her trek to the ends of the sands, where she knew the deep waters of Lake Hylia rested.

* * *

"Did you know a temple once existed in Kakariko?" Zelda spoke up, breaking Link away from his dazed thoughts. Her, Link, and some members of The Group had gathered and decided to pay visits to the settlements of Hyrule to make sure everything was running well and smoothly, and no civil disputes had broken out. Zora's Domain had been the first because of its close proximity. It had turned out that Zelda knew the deceased Queen Rutela, and took the opportunity to formally introduce herself to Prince Ralis. She had formed a strong alliance with him as well as the elders of the Goron tribe.

They were currently coming down from Death Mountain, Link mounted on top of Epona and Zelda mounted on her own steed. "The old recounts of Kakariko spoke of a village was founded by race devoted to protecting the Royal Family of Hyrule – this same very exact one. Many things have changed, clearly, but they say there is a temple hidden under the grounds of the graveyard."

"That's kind of creepy."

Zelda smiled at him. "I suppose it is. It was a temple that was seen by very few, and the entrance to it has been completely sealed off. Chances are, it might not even survive anymore. It's just still an interesting tidbit of history."

Link was finding it hard to imagine that there could be anything underground there but decaying corpses. The graveyard in Kakariko just seemed like a wasteland of eroded tombstones, but since the population of Kakariko began picking up and things re-opened, the new civilians started to repair things anew. It was nice to see the village filled with life, instead of it completely void and empty with the occasional tumble weed strolling around.

Once they reached the main grounds of the village, both of them climbed off their horses and were greeted by Shad. He was just finishing recording something in his journal when he approached them.

"I still wish there was a way we could find that old temple," he said with a whimsical sigh and looked towards the pathway to the graveyard. "Some say the only way to find it is through a song."

Link raised an eyebrow and followed his gaze. "A song? What kind?"

"No one knows." Shad pushed his glasses up with his fingers. "Although the fact that there's a temple within a graveyard is somewhat unsettling. You can just imagine what creatures lie dormant there." He involuntarily shuddered. "Maybe it's best it stays sealed."

Link winced at the thought. "Probably. I don't think it'd be so bad, though."

"That's because you're courageous to a fault, Link. You've faced worse." Shad smiled at the Hero. What Link had accomplished wasn't much of a secret to The Group. Link even owed them for helping him along through his journey; they were much more helpful than they ever thought they'd be. They even seemed to know something about the Twilight, but they never asked or questioned anything. At least, not in his presence. "By the way, I did find those volumes you wanted to let Princess Midna borrow, your highness."

"I'm assuming I've got a delivery for Midna?" Link asked. Zelda nodded sheepishly. "You should start your own book club at this rate, Princess."

"Oh, hush," Zelda retorted and puffed her cheeks. She seemed a bit flustered. "She let me read historical tombs from her world. I can only return the favor. It's nice to have another female that treats me like an equal."

Midna was really the only other woman Zelda could ever relate to, or even hold a conversation about the most random of things. They had an interesting dynamic of friendship going on. They respected each other greatly, despite the frequent disagreements between the two, and Midna was never intimidated by her status. Growing up, Zelda didn't have any close friends. Her status as royalty had many potential friends shrink away from her. It looked like it just helped that Midna was royalty, too, and had nothing to be threatened by. Zelda would just never let her know how much she looked up to the Twilight Princess.

They followed Shad over to the carriage that carried plenty of their items, and he rummaged around and started to pile books on top of each other. "Besides, you should feel very fortunate that you have that pouch she left you. Otherwise I would feel guilty having you lug around heavy books back and forth between worlds."

Link smirked faintly and patted the sack on his waist. "Yep. It's a handy thing, that one. If I had to carry every weapon manually I probably would have died from exhaustion months ago."

"Do you ever get tired of running back and forth between worlds?" she asked. "I can imagine how…exhausting it would be, I guess."

Link shook his head quickly. "No, no. Of course not." All the errands he did gave him more of an excuse to see Midna, and he was perfectly okay with that. "I like being able to help. It's not like I'm out saving Hyrule again or anything. It gives me something to do, and on the bright side, I think the people of the Twilight are finally starting to get used to me."

The first appearance of a Light Dweller amongst them unsettled a good majority of the people that knew of him. But Link had appeared often due to his errands, and sometimes he would just visit the Twilight for the sake of visiting – he would spend time with Midna, often just walking through the courtyard and enjoying each other's quiet company, or he would converse with Minerva for hours on end. He had grown extremely fond of Minerva and even Cheron, as both would often go out of their way to greet him once the news of his arrival into their world had spread. Even those who wandered the hallways and gave him cautious looks now greeted him with a warm smile and a hello. He was even on civil terms with Caleb who seemed to be putting out a genuine effort to get to know him, but only when he had to.

Persephone, however, he avoided like the plague, even though she was often very polite and cordial. Part of him resented her and liked the guilt he felt coming from her, but the other part felt ashamed that he could even feel that way towards her – especially being Midna's very own _mother_

"These should be it," Shad grunted out as he dropped the final book on the stack he constructed. "Whenever you do go back to the desert, see if you can find Auru. I think he's at Lake Hylia."

"I believe he is, last time he checked with me." Zelda started helping Link put all the books into his tiny pouch, and Shad never ceased to be amazed on the complex magic that little thing could hold. "You know how he likes to watch the desert from time to time. He probably went to catch up with those…gentlemen at the Lake."

By those 'gentlemen' she was referring to Fyer and Falbi. Zelda was never the type to judge by appearances alone, but she thought both men were simply _odd_. She had a much more polite and controlled reaction to them than Midna had, Link had to admit, but still. Zelda could never understand Auru's friendship with them.

"You think she'll actually read these?" Link gestured to the pouch holding the plethora of volumes, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, and I think she'll probably read them much faster than I ever could." Zelda tried not to stick her tongue out at him. It was tempting, but she refrained – she sometimes thought she was hanging around Midna too much when she had those urges.

He shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so. I can probably go off and deliver them tomorrow – I actually haven't been to the Twilight for a few weeks now." He knew he would eventually see her at some point. But some parts of him were still getting used to the fact that she wasn't hiding in his shadow.

Old habits die hard.

Zelda frowned. "I was hoping that maybe you could deliver them when we were done making our stops around Hyrule?" She looked guilty for requesting this of him. She knew how much it meant to him to see Midna. "We have a few more gatherings with the Goron Tribe in the next several days, and I would appreciate your presence when we go to Ordon."

Link tried not to frown himself, or show any disappointment. He rarely denied his princess. "Sure, I don't see why not."

"You know, I'm hoping the people of Twilight become more used to your presence." Shad shifted his glasses again once they slid down his nose and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The more I see the Princess and her bodyguard, the more I'm fascinated by this Twilight. Their world must be _amazing_. I would one day hope to visit." He gulped a little. "As long as they don't turn violent on me, or anything. That would be unpleasant."

The Hero rolled his eyes with a grin. "Probably not for another while, Shad. But their world _is_ beautiful. It's just sunset constantly."

"Telling time there must be a pain in the ass," Ashei bluntly as she approached them. She bowed respectfully to Princess Zelda. "Renado's made preparations of stay for us. His place is pretty big. The inn is still a bit under construction since it's got new owners, so…"

Shad started to unpack things from the carriage with Ashei's help, rambling about how interesting it would be to interview Renado about Kakariko's history and the old legends that still surrounded the village. Link was moving closer to help, but stopped once Zelda grabbed his arm gently.

"Are you sure it is alright with you if you stayed for a big longer?" she asked. She looked guilty again. "I know you haven't seen Midna in awhile."

"I'll see her eventually," he replied reassuringly. Zelda still wasn't so convinced. He looked away and rubbed his forehead. "She's…probably busy, anyway. She seems too busy for me lately.

"It's a burden that comes from being a ruler, unfortunately."

Link tried to smile. He sort of failed. "I know, I know. I can't blame her." He accepted the fact that Midna was a workaholic, despite his subtle suggestions to her that she really did need to take a break and unwind. She never listened and he doubted she ever would – she was always very strict with her duties and worked too hard on herself. It worried him, especially with how sick she had been.

"She misses you," Zelda told him quietly and fiddled with her fingers awkwardly. "She doesn't act like she does, but I know she does, Link. It's all taken a toll on her too. She's just…"

"You don't have to tell me. I know." Link turned his back to Zelda to direct his attention to Epona by petting her nose. "But I can't sit and wait forever, either. She's still my friend. My best." Epona made a noise and he chuckled. "Next to Epona, anyway."


	17. On Broken Grounds

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_If an ancient word, a heathen spell can salvage me,  
I will believe in miracles, 'cause it would take a saint to set me free._

Chapter Seventeen  
_On Broken Grounds_

There were several things that crossed Midna's mind as she trekked the dangerous sands of the Gerudo desert.

The first was that she needed shoes.

_Yes_, Midna thought, her internal voice sounding ironically bitter. _Shoes._

The sand was unbelievably hot and she had no choice to but to walk and walk – and her walking was _fast_ because of this. Yes, shoes were most certainly a priority if she wanted to keep the skin on the bones of her feet. Especially if she traveled on surfaces warmed constantly by that world's sun.

Second, she needed a weapon.

A weapon was _essential_. She wasn't sure how she forgot that there were harmful things lurking underneath the sands and soaring through the skies, but she was lucky enough to come out with only scrapes and bruises. Sorcery was often her weapon and best friend, but even though that hunger to use power and assert dominance over anything and everything that threatened her clawed and ate at her, she resisted. Her will was stronger than that.

At least, for now.

But of course, obtaining weaponry would most likely involve the need for currency.

_Or I could just mug a guy_, she thought to herself, her lips quirking into an amused smile. Mugging someone was probably out of the question, though, unless that someone was Link.

The sun was bright, high, and mercilessly burning. The wind blew grains of dust that got into her eyes and her skin felt like it was set ablaze. The dryness of her throat became more apparent when she had finally reached the end to the desert. The path from Gerudo to Hyrule was impassible by foot, unless you took a dangerous leap into the depths of Lake Hylia and lived to tell the tale.

She glanced at the edge and gulped, her mouth feeling even stripped of its own saliva. She didn't realize how thirsty she felt until she saw all that water, but Midna sure as hell wasn't _that_ thirsty. Lake Hylia was absolutely massive and equally as deep, and the distance from the surface of the water to the edges of the desert she stood from was threatening.

But she had no choice. Warping was out of the question. She was going to cut herself off and go completely cold turkey from her magic. It was too dangerous, and Midna absolutely refused to inflict the same damage on Hyrule as she did to her own world. She was _not_ going to let herself be vulnerable.

She had no choice, so Midna made the jump.

And _damn_, did it hurt.

Little did she know that someone watched her from a high watch tower with a pair of binoculars. "Weird," the man said and lowered his tool, witnessing the splash once she made contact with the water. "Hope that wasn't one of those crazy suicide cases."

* * *

Midna hoped she never, ever had to do that again.

And that dry feeling her throat was experiencing? The thirst she felt? Yeah, she didn't feel thirsty anymore. Not when she was coughing up what seemed to be gallons of water and gasping for air once she resurfaced and kicked her legs into the water, swimming towards the bridge. She felt eyes on her and, right now, she didn't care. She looked and felt equivalent to a drowned rat. But it was a necessary cleanse, almost; all the sand that had clung to her hair and skin, and all the crusted blood that patched her up completely washed away.

"Aren't you Zoras supposed to do the swimming thing pretty well?" Midna almost cringed. She knew exactly who that voice belonged to, even though the aging man had never even laid eyes on her. Her eyes narrowed and she raised her head, and met the gaze of Fyer with his gut hanging and his droopy nose.

Midna coughed again. "I'm not a Zora."

"But you're blue," he said, expressing his marvelous ability to point out the obvious.

She tried her hardest not to wrap her fingers around the nearest rock and bash his head in. "Do you _see_ any fins on me?"

Fyer thought that over for a bit. _Geez, careful, man. You might hurt yourself doing that._

"...no," he eventually answered, his head tilting curiously. "Where are you from?"

_Man, he's creepy._ "The desert."

"I thought you Gerudo women were supposed to be tan?"

Midna wrung the excess water from her hair and stood up. All the water soaked into her garbs made her heavy and clumsy, but she stood her ground. "Yeah, well, blue is the new tan. I need to use your cannon, if you don't mind."

Fyer shrugged, satisfied with the answer. "If you have the rupees for it."

She froze, and mentally cursed at herself. She didn't have _any_ rupees with her. _Damnit_.

"You do know Link, right?" Midna asked carefully. She was going to strategize. Fyer nodded. "He uses this cannon like crazy. I'm certain he is one of your best customers, no doubt. You can put my travel fee on his tab if you wish. He wouldn't mind."

"He doesn't have a tab. He pays upfront."

She gritted her teeth. "Can't you bend your rules a little?" She was broke and she _needed_ to somehow get on Hyrule field. "I can't pay you back later, or anything? I'm a woman of my word, I assure you."

The odd looking man shook his head and kept his arms behind him. "Nope. I know better than to trust you crazy Gerudo women. I've heard stories. Coming to Hyrule once every few decades to garner you women some boyfriends…pfft." Fyer shook his head shamefully.

Midna wasn't really sure what the heck he was talking about – she knew very little about the Gerudo women that lingered in the desert from her travels back in the day, so it went over her head. But she was stumped and stuck. Fyer wasn't about to give her a free ride, not even for someone in dire need, and she really needed to get the hell out of Lake Hylia. She couldn't just _assault_ him, either, even though it was a growing temptation.

She scowled in frustration and Fyer just walked back towards his gargantuan cannon, acting as if she wasn't even there. She remembered when she and Link used to be desperate for rupees during their travels, they would usually stumble upon massive amounts of rupees through hidden chests or in random parts of the land, even. It was odd. It seemed Link attracted money for some reason.

"You need your air fare covered, correct?"

She almost jumped at the sound of the new voice. She was so engrossed in coming up with solutions to get rupees quickly or to even trick Fyer to even realize that someone had approached her from behind. The voice wasn't foreign to her, either – she remembered him. She glanced over her shoulder and met Auru's questioning gaze. Midna recalled him when she was in the shadows as he helped Link get to the Gerudo Desert, and even upon her numerous visits to Hyrule's Castle, she saw glimpses of him wandering around the castle halls.

Midna, however, remained wordless. He bowed politely to her. "I believe we've never been introduced. I'm Auru. Pleasure to meet you – you're often spoken about in the castle walls of Hyrule."

He was absolutely harmless to her, she knew, but she was still wary. She looked over at Fyer again who was distracted in his own little world, not even noticing the arrival of his old friend, and then back at Auru.

"I'm assuming you're headed to see the princess," Auru concluded. He didn't seem offended by Midna's voluntary silence. She nodded her head slowly. She wasn't sure how much he knew about her, so she figured it would be best to observe and let him do all the talking and see what he knew. "The princess and hero are actually roaming Hyrule's several settlements to make sure everything is running smoothly. I don't know when they'll be back to the castle, however. I would have figured they would have told you so they wouldn't schedule any meetings around this time."

Midna bit her lip. "It's…an unexpected visit. Some developments have occurred and I need to speak with them." _Urgently_. "Usually, I'm able to take myself to Hyrule just fine, but…"

Auru shook his head and held his hand up to interrupt her. "Don't worry about it. I've got it handled." Midna watched him suspiciously and he approached Fyer, who finally broke out from his distractions and greeted Auru with enthusiasm. She heard them exchange words, but nothing specific, and then Auru motioned her to approach the cannon.

_That's right_, Midna remembered, having a dawn of realization. _Those two are friends_. She remembered now how Auru was the one to give Link a letter to show Fyer about sending him off to the desert.

It looked like he was giving her the same favor. _Nice._

"If you don't mind, I would be pleased to escort you back to Hyrule," offered Auru generously. He didn't want to point out that he was very much aware of the princess' disturbing appearance. She was soaked and he quickly glanced over the little bits of wounds that appeared across patches of exposed skin. She didn't look refined and collected as she usually did when she held meetings with Hyrule's princess. It had him concerned, but he was in no position to question.

Whatever had happened to _this_ princess, it looked like she needed someone's help.

"I would appreciate it." Midna also knew this man wasn't stupid. She was very much aware of how she looked – nothing like a princess, of course – and she felt ten times worse than what she appeared. Without her magic, Midna was equivalent to a helpless kitten and Hyrule's fields were known to be lurking with creatures ready to pounce and prowl and view her as easy prey.

She had never used the cannon personally, but from recalling Link's reaction to it the first time, she was not going to enjoy this ride.

"You ready?" Auru asked as he was nestled next to her in the cannon.

"As ready as I'll ever be to be shot out of a cannon, sure." Midna's voice dripped with sarcasm and she heard Auru chuckle. This wasn't funny to her. She already fell for what it felt like a mile from a cliff into an voluminous amount of water and she was still reeling from _that_. Being shot out of a cannon was something that she would have loved keeping out of her list of things to to today.

She felt the cannon rumble and the next thing she knew, both of them were shot up high in the air towards another hut she was all too familiar with. Landing was expectantly rough. Both of them landed on the wooden balcony on their stomachs with the air knocked out of their lungs.

Auru grunted and slowly pushed himself up, wincing. "That…is never pleasant, no."

Midna agreed quietly. She's had better days. _Much better days._

After trekking across the hot Gerudo Desert, then falling into Lake Hylia with a violent and painful splash, and then being shot out of a cannon and into a hard wooden floor, her body was bound to become filled with ache and aggravatingly sore. She pulled herself slowly to her feet, completely ignoring Auru's hand of offered assistance and stumbled until she regained her balance.

"Thank you," she muttered and dusted herself off, sparing a quick glance at Auru. "For helping me use the cannon, I mean. That guy's stingy with his customers, isn't he?"

"He likes his money." Auru shrugged. "He never gets many customers in Lake Hylia, really. Link is his best."

"Speaking about Link," began Midna as she turned to look over Lake Hylia. She let out a small sigh. "Him and Zelda are out of the castle, right?"

"Right."

"Any idea of where they could be right now?"

Auru shook his head. "I have no idea, no. I do know some of their destinations. The Domain of the Zora's, Kakakirko, Ordon, Death Mountain…" he shrugged and crossed his arms. "They could be at any of those locations. How urgent do you need to see them?"

_Find Link. Don't be stubborn or proud._

"As soon as possible," she admitted. She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "I'd rather not try to chase them around Hyrule and pass them without realizing it. My only option is to go to Hyrule's town and wait for their arrival."

"I'm sure I can get you into the castle, princess." Midna cringed at the title and Auru didn't really notice. "I'm sure it is what Princess Zelda would want."

"I'd rather not stay in the castle."

Auru seemed surprised. "Why not?"

Midna wanted to say she didn't want charity, but she wasn't about to spill her business to someone she hardly knew. She was very much aware that Auru was part of the resistance group that helped Zelda throughout the rebuilding, but that meant very little to her right now. "I'll find a place to stay. Things are simply a little…complicated."

Auru stared at her. Midna was blank and difficult to read. He nodded, however, to respect her wishes. "I see. I would still like to escort you." With the way she looked, he definitely did not want her walking through the field by herself. "I have a fresh canteen of water and bread rations to last us all the way there, and plenty for the both of us."

There was not much that Princess Zelda had kept from Auru. He had educated the princess ever since she knew how to take her first steps, and he took pride watching her grow into a gentle ruler loved by the people of Hyrule. She had always confided him about little, trivial things and even bigger issues, and she more than told him the basics of this peculiar princess. Midna was known for her skill in sorcery. Zelda told him that she was a powerful, fully capable woman, but right now she was scratched up and looked utterly exhausted from whatever happened to her. Something must have happened to this woman, and she needed help.

Auru was also fully aware of Midna's legendary pride and hardheadedness, so he was fairly subtle and careful with the way he was helping her.

Midna eventually nodded and Auru led the way through the Falbi's hut and out of Lake Hylia's territory, and into the vast lands of Hyrule Field. It wasn't long before the sun would set.

"I want to go see Telma," Midna spoke up after a pregnant session of silence between them. Auru raised an eyebrow at her questioningly but Midna continued to look forward. "You _do_ know Telma, correct?"

"I do. She's an amazing bartender."

"She gave me some lessons in bartending, actually." Her lips grew into a small smile at the memory. "Last I heard, she needed a few extra hands at her place."

Auru wasn't exactly sure what happened to Midna, but if she was scrounging around for some sort of employment in _Hyrule_, then his expectations of what might have happened had gotten worse. His concern was growing but he did not express it. He remembered Princess Zelda telling him that she was absolutely and positively against any sort of help. Even from Link. "I'm sure she could use the extra help. She gets good business there."

The rest of the way to the Castle Town was traveled in silence. They exchanged few words; mostly Auru offering her gulps of his water from the canteen and portions of bread, which she accepted hungrily and thanked him. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she bit into the bread, but she could only take in a few bites before she started feeling a little nauseated. Midna figured it might be stress related. It had been one _hell_ of a day.

Once the sun hid from the heavens, night started to blanket the sky and Auru and Midna arrived just in time. The numbers of people moving through the roads dwindled and Auru led her down the steps and into Telma's bar. It looked the same from the last sime she visited. Dimly lit yet warm, with the smell of food and mixed drinks filling up the entire room.

There weren't many customers there. It was only a few Hylian soldiers whom sat on a round table in the corner, laughing amongst themselves and enjoying their pints of beer. Telma was at the bar top polishing some wine glasses when she heard the door push open and a little bell ring, signifying someone's entrance. She glanced up and at first, she didn't know what to think.

She recognized Auru instantly of course. He and the others were regular customers and they often held meetings here together after the bar was closed down. He looked no different than usual, except for the fact that he had a tattered beauty accompany him. And Telma could never, ever forget Midna's appearance.

"Oh, _honey_." She set down the polishing rag and glass, and quickly walked out from behind the bar. "What _happened_ to you, sugar? You look like you've walked across fire and brimstone and got run over by a carriage and a dozen horses." Telma paused. "No offense, but, really."

Midna smirked. "I feel that way."

"I stumbled across her at Lake Hylia," Auru informed and looked at Telma with hard eyes. It was almost as if they were communicating something to each other silently. The bartender was looking at him skeptically. "She's looking for the Princess and the Hero, but I told her they're out on business."

"Yes, they did take Shad and Ashei with them…" Telma rubbed her chin. "I can't remember when they told me they'd be back. But, honey, come in and sit. You look like you need it."

Telma led her to a bar stool and Midna couldn't remember the last time it felt so good to finally be off her feet. "I have a question."

Telma hurried behind the bar top and quickly poured her a glass of water, pushing it towards her. "Anything, hon."

Before uttering a single word, Midna gratefully grabbed the glass of water and chugged it down. Telma couldn't help but look at her pitifully, and Auru took a seat on the bar stool next to the princess.

After she finished emptying the glass, she wiped her mouth and set it down. "Remember when you said if I was ever around and needed a job, to come here?"

"Absolutely."

"That offer still standing?"

Telma blinked. "You want to be a bartender?"

Midna snorted. "You said I was a natural, wasn't I? And that I would bring you more business. I'm available, willing to work, and in need of rupees. Besides, you could use a break, right?" _If not, I probably will just end up mugging someone._

That was true. The little lessons she had given Midna that day attracted an abnormal amount of customers – particularly of the male population. She was also a surprisingly quick learner. The only thing that stood out to her was that if an otherworldly _princess_ had a problem where it looked like she was in a dire need of a job as a _bartender_, then she must be in trouble. Something _must_ be up.

Telma and Auru exchanged glances. He shrugged, and she was still bewildered. "Well, yeah, if you really _are_ willing."

Midna smiled cheerfully, her pointy fang deciding to make a cameo. "Good. When can I start?"

* * *

It took Telma and Auru to convince Midna that she _might_ just need a day to relax for a bit, but Midna was eager to start _tomorrow_. She was fully aware that she still needed to learn the ropes of the place, but she wanted to learn as soon as possible and both Auru and Telma argued that it would be best if she took a day's rest. They weren't about to ask her what had happened to her. They couldn't even fathom it. But they were beginning to learn that Princess Zelda's and Link's tales of Midna's mythic stubbornness were true.

Telma and Midna reached a compromise after an hour of debating and discussion. Midna absolutely refused shelter from the castle, even though they all knew Princess Zelda would insist, and Telma was _not_ about to let that girl on the streets. She offered Midna a roof over her head as long as she did not pay her an hourly wage. She would get all her pay from tips alone, and all three of them had agreed that the tips alone would be substantial.

Midna helped Telma close and clean up the bar, saying that this was going to be part of her training _anyway_, no matter how much Telma protested.

On the bright side, there was no doubt in her mind that Midna would be a reliable worker. And Telma _could_ use a break.

But she was dangerously curious as to what happened to Midna. She knew very well that there was no way she was a Gerudo woman like she claimed to be when she had first met her, face to face. Zelda had given the group a rundown of the story – the itty bitty and gritty details of what exactly happened, and part of that story included the Twilight Princess that took back her throne and helped Link throughout the journey. Midna did not flaunt her status as a princess, and no one in the group asked her any questions, but they treated her with utmost respect as if they were dealing with their own princess.

Once the bar was closed, Auru said his goodbyes and departed, leaving Telma and Midna by themselves. Telma showed Midna around the upstairs of the bar where she lived and had spare bedrooms, one which she gave the princess, and gave her some privacy to bathe and relax. She didn't want to point out that Midna was filthy – she was sure the poor girl was already aware of that.

"Thank you," Midna told her after she had bathed and changed into the spare pajamas Telma provided. The warm water of the bath had relaxed her muscles and she cleaned off any open scratches she received through her short journey, and she was currently running a comb through her hair. "For everything, I mean. You're not even asking why—why I'm here."

Telma winked at her. "No worries, sugar. I'm sure you have your reasons." She lit up another candle to illuminate the room. "You're a friend of Link's, and even Princess Zelda. And we know you're the one that helped Link save Hyrule. You're our heroine, too."

"Heroine?" Midna could almost laugh. She shook her head. "That's a new one."

"But it's true. He wouldn't have been able to do it without you, and you wouldn't have been able to do anything without him. You're the heroine to his hero, hon. Don't be bashful." Telma chuckled and Midna was at loss for words, borderlining mild confusion. "Go to sleep and don't worry about anything. We can start your training tomorrow. Just rest up."

Midna nodded quietly and went over to the guest bedroom Telma had provided her. It was mostly bare except for an already made bed with clean linens and a vanity with a jar and some essentials. She didn't need anything extravagant; she didn't feel like a princess anymore. She didn't have her title, her crown, or her throne. Her people had a reason to completely hate her.

Telma was wrong. She _wasn't_ a heroine. A heroine didn't allow a monster to eat her up from the inside and kill her people, and her friend.

She was a monster. Just like him.

She climbed onto the bed and slipped under the covers, and reached over to blow the candle's flame out. Darkness filled the room, and the fact that she was not home in her own bedroom was just now sinking in.

The mirror was destroyed.

She was completely exiled.

She was responsible for the lives of various innocents that died by her hand, including Minerva's.

And Ganondorf was having a party in her head.

Part of her hoped that when she went to sleep, she would open her eyes again and greet her spacious bedroom and realize that it was just another bad dream. She always had bad dreams. This _felt_ like a bad dream, but one acted and lived through by flesh and blood.

Midna lifted her hand up and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She could see the faint outline of the triforce engraved into her hand, and it almost made her want to vomit. This mark wasn't hers. It wasn't meant for her. And she didn't want it. But it gave her a connection to the person she wished would just show up already; she wanted Link there with her. He probably wouldn't know what to do right away. That was okay for her. She just missed her friend's lingering presence – something about Link just gave her the feeling of being safe.

"This is so messed up," she murmured to no one in particular and let out a frustrated groan. She glared at her hand. "Why, oh _why_ couldn't you just be a stupid rash like I thought you were?"


	18. Beauty of the Beast

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Don't take her smile away from me.  
She's broken and I'm far away._

Chapter Eighteen  
_Beauty of the Beast_

Something wasn't right.

Link's eyes snapped open from the very little sleep he was trying to capture, and in the bedroom that he was _sure_ he fell asleep in alone, was someone lurking in the dark. They weren't moving, but the fact that someone who wasn't _supposed_ to be there was _there_ alarmed him enough. He sat up, and the silhouette moved into the light of the moon filtering through the window, and he visibly relaxed.

It was just Zelda.

_Wait…_ "Princess?" Link asked in a hush whisper, squinting his eyes. He was just getting accustomed to seeing in the darkness.

"You need to go," Zelda whispered hoarsely. "You need to go to the Mirror Chamber _now_, Link."

Princess Zelda was not known for sneaking around into bedrooms and scaring people awake. The more his eyes became used to the darkness, the more he was aware of her anxious, worried expression. And once she mentioned the chamber with the Mirror of Twilight, he tensed, and started to _really_ worry. "What? What's wrong?" He kicked the covers off and stood up clumsily, feeling around for his chainmail and sword.

"I had an ill dream," she continued. There was something in her voice he couldn't really describe – fear, maybe? "It felt like—like an omen, almost. There's something wrong with the mirror. I don't know what, but you have to go check, Link."

Link re-armed himself as several seconds ticked by. "Keep an eye on Epona, will you?" he asked hurriedly and brushed past her. She was confused at first – she thought he would take Epona _with_ him, not leave her behind. But when the sound of a feral growl from the outside filled her ears and after she heard the door open and slam shut, she hurried to the window, watching a four-legged beast sprint out of Kakariko with speed that rivaled a horse and it all made sense.

"I hope she didn't do anything stupid," Zelda whispered and pressed her forehead against the window's glass. "_Please_. Neither world needs another catastrophe."

Link ran and ran, and did not cease his running even once the day broke from the night. He didn't have time to take a breath, even though his lungs hurt and ached against his chest. He returned himself back to normal once he reached Lake Hylia, shoved rupees into Fyer's hands and desperately told him to hurry up and shoot him _up_. Fyer did not object – as Link _was_ his best customer – and shot Link straight up into the sky. Once he painfully landed onto the sands of the desert, he warped back into the blue-eyed beast and continued to run.

He wasn't sure what was going on. Link was confident that Zelda didn't have a delusion of any sort, and that something _was_ wrong, but neither of them knew what except for the fact that it had to do with the mirror – the only connection known to them that would keep the two worlds linked.

The only connection he knew that could make him see his friend again.

* * *

"See? You're getting the hang of it, honey." Telma had become quite impressed with her new 'apprentice.' They had woken up bright and early and Telma began to show Midna the ropes of opening the bar and walking her through what drinks went in what glass, how to mix different drinks, and plenty of others things she thought up of at the top of her head. Midna was also very dedicated in learning – not because it was her lifelong dream to serve copious amounts of alcohol to perverse men eying her up and down suggestively, but she _needed_ this.

She wasn't going to accept charity. She was going to earn her keep while she was here. Midna was not about to go easy on herself.

Telma had a small but loyal staff. The only one she frequently saw that particular morning was a Goron of the name Reer. He was rather quiet, polite, and gentle, and lived outside of the bar with some of his brethren that roamed the Castle Town. The other employees she was briefly introduced to, but they were in the back cleaning and cooking up the orders. She would barely see them, according to Telma.

"We need to fix you up some clothing too," Telma chided and looked her over thoughtfully. "I could fix up what you're wearing now; all that traveling you did tattered it up good. And I have nothing that could fit you, sadly." She sighed and patted her belly. "Be lucky you ain't got any of this, honey. My clothes would fall _off_ you, girl."

Midna only had one change of daily clothing and she had the feeling it wouldn't last her long. The sarong was tattered and roughed around the edges, and it just looked like someone took a dagger and knifed numerous slits in it. "Eh, I'll worry about clothing later, I guess." Midna shrugged.

"Well, on the bright note, you'll get amazing tips with just those on." Midna looked a little flustered and Telma let out a hearty laugh. "Don't be ashamed, baby. Flaunt what you have – let them see, but don't let them touch. It's a key rule for any female bartender. Although I think Link might have a bit of a problem with that."

Midna raised an eyebrow.

Telma snorted. "Don't you remember the first time I started teaching you stuff?"

"Yes?"

"Did you see the look on his face?"

"Oh. The thing he does with his nose?"

"Yeah, and then he just starts puffing up a little." Telma tried to imitate it but failed.

Midna couldn't help but roll her eyes, her lips twitching into a small smile. "Yeah. I know that look. He's just going to have to suck it up like a big boy." She didn't even think about Link's reaction to her new, err, employment. He was actually the one that asked her to _never_ become a bartender, and now this situation was coming out to be more hilarious than it was pathetic. Or maybe it was just both.

"Oh, I don't know, honey." Telma snickered and leaned against the bartop. "He might have a reason to be jealous with others drooling like pigs."

"_I_ can handle myself just fine. How opposed are you to bar fights, exactly?"

"Up until they break my stuff." Telma huffed. "Then, it's personal. I've had a few funny ones break out. Although I've got a feeling the cowards here will think twice before they ever start _anything_ with the Chosen Hero, here. Link's intimidating in his own right, and most of Hyrule's men are complete pansies."

Reer cleared his throat a little as he poked his head out from the bar's entrance door. "Sorry to interrupt—the shipment from Ordon's arrived. She brought the cheese and pumpkin this time."

Telma's face lit up. "Oh! That's right, that's right!" She smacked her forehead. "I almost forgot about that. Midna, would you be a dear and help us bring some of the stuff in? If it's Ilia out there, the poor girl can hardly pick anything up."

Both of Midna's brows rose. "Ilia?"

"You know, Link's friend." Telma put a hand on her hip. "You've met her, right?"

"I…have," Midna responded awkwardly. "She…just never met me. It's sort of complicated."

Telma reached over to grip Midna's wrist and she pulled her from behind the bar. "Then let's get you two formally introduced, hmm? Ilia's a lovely girl. I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

Honestly, Midna had mixed feelings about Ilia. She wasn't sure if she would like her or end up being really annoyed by her. Link often spoke to her about Ilia being a sister to him of sorts, and she was more than aware of how much of a brat Ilia _could_ be. It didn't matter too much to her since she never had to deal with the girl before.

She barely protested when Telma dragged her outside. There was a small cart parked out front; definitely nothing too big, as they had to carefully track it down the cobble stairs. Ilia was unloading boxes of random assorted agriculture along with a man whose name Midna forgot, but he had a face she couldn't forget.

"Golden cucco," was all she said, raising an eyebrow in thought.

Telma gave her an odd look and shrugged, and bounced over to the cart, taking the box Ilia was carryng. "Oh, girl, you know you are _far_ too small to carry these things! How're you doing?"

Ilia huffed. "I can carry it just fine! It wasn't _that_ heavy."

"Is Rusl trying to give you strength training or something?" Telma stuck her tongue out at the man who rolled his eyes.

"I love how I get accused instead of being greeted. It's nice seeing you too, Telma."

The box Telma removed from Ilia's arms gave he time tp notice the tall, pale-blue woman. She was shaped human, but with brightly colored hair and vibrant red eyes. Her skin tone reminded her of a Zora, but she was much paler than that, and she had no present fins. She looked like no one she had ever seen.

"Hello," Ilia said softly, her curious eyes unmoving from the princess. Midna had never spoken to Ilia before even though she had been around her various times. It was definitely…odd. "Are you one of Miss Telma's employees?"

Rusl laid eyes on Midna and he looked genuinely surprised. He then looked towards at Telma, and just like she looked at Auru the night before, she gave him a look that communicated something wordless. She shrugged, nodded, and winked at him, and then Rusl looked back to Midna.

"Yes, actually." Midna smiled and held her hand out. "I'm Midna. You?" She found it silly that she had to ask the name of someone she already knew; but Ilia didn't know that.

Ilia returned the smile warmly and shook her hand. "Ilia from Ordon. It's very nice to meet you, Midna. And this is Rusl." Ilia motioned over at the man who smiled at Midna as well, but Midna couldn't help but feel a bit cautious. He bowed to her as if he was greeting royalty.

"A pleasure to meet you."

"Midna here is one of Link's friends." Telma started handing the boxes to Reer so he could start loading them up inside the bar, and Midna began helping them by grabbing a box or two from the cart. "She helped him during his journey, actually."

The Ordonion girl looked surprised. "Really? He's never mentioned you, I don't think. Although I'm sure there's a lot of people he's met when he had to go through all that."

Midna didn't bother pointing out to her that maybe he just referred to her under a different title and not her name. But it wasn't really important – she didn't know how he might have told their story. They all grabbed more boxes and started moving them into the bar. The two young girls and Reer remained in the front while Telma and Rusl went to the back, telling them they were going to restock things real quick.

Rusl glanced over his shoulder briefly and sat down on a crate. "The Twilight Princess? Here?"

"You better believe it." Telma glanced over her shoulder quickly too just to reassure herself that both girls stayed where they were. "Apparently Auru found her at Hylia. She didn't look all that well. She looked like she had just come back from hell, actually."

"Do the princess and Link know?"

"They took Shad and Ashei out to the provinces, remember?" the bartender sighed and leaned against the wall, peaking over at the two girls. They had engaged themselves into a conversation and looked like they were getting along fine. "Auru's coming back later to check on her. All we know is that she _does_ need to see Link and Princess Zelda, but she refuses to stay in the castle."

Rusl appeared puzzled. "So she's staying at a _bar_ instead?"

Telma glowered at him briefly. "Hey, don't say that like it's a _bad_ thing. She's earning her keep – I was willing to give her free boarding, but she wouldn't accept it. The girl's hardheaded, that one." She didn't know Midna all that well, but she liked how the girl carried herself. She was older than her physical age and more stubborn than a pig. "If she's desperate enough to bar tend in Hyrule for rupees, than the girl's in _trouble_. We just don't know what happened to her. She won't say anything and I won't push her."

The Group knew of the Twilight Princess via Princess Zelda – Hyrule's leader trusted them enough with this information. Telma, Auru, Shad and Shei had all seen her, except for Rusl. Rusl knew her from the stories Link had told Ordon and from the few comments Princess Zelda had said referring to her. He knew her appearance from the descriptions he was given, but seeing her in person was a completely different experience.

"One of us has to send a letter to the Princess informing her." Rusl rubbed his forehead and sighed. "She'll be annoyed if no one bothered to get in contact with her. And something's telling me that Link would get downright pissed off."

"Auru's got it handled. Hopefully that postman can find them."

"The guy without pants?" The Ordonian man shuddered involuntarily. "He has a habit of just showing up at random times. Princess Zelda has _got_ to do something about him."

Telma rolled her eyes. "You're not the first to say that." She glanced over at the girls again. They were still conversing with each other. "We better go back before they get suspicious. Not worried about Ilia in the slightest, but, eh. That princess is pretty sharp. I think she knows that we sort of know, if you know what I'm sayin'? But I think she's okay with not talking about it for now."

* * *

Link arrived at the Arbiter's Grounds on Hylian feet, and was greeted with an image that froze the warm blood in his veins.

The mirror was obliterated, and he was stepping on hundreds of tiny reflective pieces scattered around.

_She couldn't_

He swallowed the knot in his throat. The mirror wasn't broken like Zant had broken it; those fragments were gargantuan in size because he didn't have the power to destroy the device in its entirety. The way all the shards broken apart and shattered this time signified that someone with much more power destroyed it.

Someone like Midna.

That was his only link to the Twilight. That mirror was the only thing that kept them near each other.

_She couldn't._

But he couldn't think of any other explanation right now. He collapsed into his knees before where the mirror once stood, now broken and completely destroyed beyond repair. His knees crushed slithers of glass underneath him that he was to numb to physically feel, and too numb to give a damn.

"She broke it," he whispered out and clenched his fists tightly. _She actually broke it_.

"If the 'she' you speak about is the Twilight Princess, then you are incorrect in your assessment, Hero."

His eyes narrowed and he looked over his shoulder. The Sages did what they did best – appear out of no where and float above the ground. "What do you mean? Midna didn't do this?"

They all shook their heads simultaneously.

He wished they would hurry up with their answer. "Then who _did_?"

They all glanced at each other before one approached Link. "It was the High Priestess of Twilight. She destroyed the mirror after she abandoned the Twilight Princess at this very chamber." Link's eyes went wide. "There seems to be rather…unexpected and complicated issue that arose."

It took him a minute or two to wrap his head around the fact that, while the mirror was destroyed, Midna was _there_. In _Hyrule_. And he was still coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't the one that destroyed the Mirror of Twilight. That responsibility fell onto the shoulders of her mother, Persephone. He was colored confused and didn't know what to say, and tried not to just get up and leave the chamber to find Midna.

He stood on his feet, shards of glass sticking to the fabric of his leggings. He awaited the Sages to explain themselves before he jumped to conclusions.

"The design of the Goddesses – that is, if this _is_ even their design – is not information that is known to us. When the Twilight Princess came to us, bearing the mark of power, we only assumed that the Goddesses played a hand in this." It was the Sage of Light that spoke while the rest remained silent behind him, listening. "But it was not. It looks like Ganondorf left us a cruel gift before you destroyed him."

Once Ganondorf was mentioned, Link began to appear wary. "What's Ganondorf have to do with Midna?"

"Everything."

"You know, I'm beginning to agree with Midna when she claims that all you guys say are vague things." He usually would never be this upfront. Maybe it was him hanging around Midna herself too long. He wasn't sure. But Link wasn't about to be polite when it involved Midna. He wanted answers.

"When the Twilight Princess removed you and Princess Zelda to safety, she faced Ganondorf on her own. You recall that, don't you?"

Of course he did. It was something he could never forget.

"There was something he left behind with her, it seems, just in case you did end up defeating him. It appears to be that he's left part of himself with the Twilight Princess. A transfer of some sort. When he died, the triforce went to her, because she had a remnant of him, not because the Goddesses chose her."

"But you say Ganondorf remains dead, is that right?" That voice did not come from Link or any of the Sages. Auru approached them and neither of the Sages looked surprised. It was almost as if they were expecting him, or maybe they simply knew him. The Sages nodded. "Then what's inside her?"

Link's mind was going back to the first day he arrived back to the Twilight. He had woken up from being unconscious for several hours due to Persephone's 'hospitality,' and Midna had reluctantly told him about the dream she had that scared her so terribly.

It had to do with Ganondorf.

Suddenly, a lot of things that didn't make sense to him seemed so much more succinct.

"We do not know, entirely," spoke the Sage of Forest as he faced Auru. "At first it might have been something small, but something triggered a growth. It continues to grow inside her, and the more it continues to grow…"

"The more it starts to swallow her from the inside," finished the Sage of Shadow. "Then we're faced with another Ganondorf, although I would assume weaker, but highly dangerous. And wearing an innocent's face." It was as if his ghost was haunting the shell that was her body; cruel and set on revenge, and completely prepared to finish what he started.

Link felt his stomach flip and his heart contract. Midna wasn't suffering from a chronic illness. She wasn't tired or weak because she was stressed.

She was getting sick because it was killing her slowly.

"The High Priestess exiled her here so you could help her, Hero. And the decision was made wisely, although it is ultimately dangerous for this world. She had no choice, and destroyed the mirror to keep the Twilight safe."

"Where'd she go?" Link demanded and narrowed his eyes dangerously at them. His lips curled back and he scowled. "You're usually here watching, aren't you? Did she say where she was going? Did she warp, or walk, _something_?!" His voice rose and his usually tamed temper flared.

Auru was the one to grip his shoulders tightly. "Remain calm, Link." His voice was stern and his grasp was firm; he didn't need a desperate and anxious Hero roaming Hyrule until he found who he was looking for. He needed him to be calm and collected, although he could not blame the boy. He couldn't blame him in the slightest. There was a beast growing inside his friend and killing her every second, every day. "The princess is safe. I found her yesterday."

Relief practically spilled from his body. "Where? She's—she's okay, right?"

"Yes, Link," Auru assured and slowly loosened his grip. "She's safe, and with Telma. I've already sent notification to the Princess Zelda and the rest of the group with her, but she's safe. She's been there overnight. I came here just to make sure there was nothing following her from the Twilight, but…"

That ended up being redundant, as they had no way of returning to the Twilight.

Link nodded slowly and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, and then slowly inhaling. He was riled up. He was anxious. And the one thing he wanted to do is to leave and make sure his best friend really _was_ okay with his own pair of eyes. When he re-opened them, he watched the Sages gravely. "How do we get that thing out of her, then?"

"You must wield the Blade of Evil's Bane again, Hero."

"I must wield _what_ again?" These guys were just as bad as Persephone. If he wasn't called the Sacred Beast, he had others call him by another title. No one felt comfortable saying his name, apparently.

Auru sighed. "They're talking about the Master Sword you used to slay Ganondorf the first time. It's got plenty of titles, that weapon – the Blade of Evil's Bane being one of them."

Link had to make a mental note to question Auru later on. He wasn't sure how well he knew the Sages, but he seemed pretty comfortable around them – almost _too_ comfortable. His lips twisted into a frown and he took a hesitant step away from all of them. "Okay, but…"

All eyes were on him.

"What do you expect me to _do_ with it, exactly?" he questioned them carefully. There was only one thing he knew to do _with_ a sword to begin with.

The Sages said nothing.

The older man cleared his throat and closed his eyes. He didn't want to see the look on Link's face. "What do you think you do with a sword, Link?"

Link froze where he was. They couldn't honestly expect him to do what he thought they needed him to do.

Could they?

His eyes became slanted into a narrow stare again. "You can't ask me that."

_They can't._

"Our choices are limited," Auru said quietly. "Unless we come up with another alternative in the near future, there's just some things that have to be done. And you are the only one who can wield that particular weapon, Link. If there was someone else that could—"

"I wouldn't let you," Link interrupted decisively. "And you can't force me, either. We're going to find a different way. There _has_ to be another way. But none of you can ask me that. _None_ of you." Auru seemed unsure, and the Sages remained silent but continued to hear his words. "I'm going to tear that thing out of her, and she'll live. I'm not going to let her die."

After everything he's done, and everything he had sacrificed for a title he never even _wanted_, someone somewhere owed him something. They couldn't ask him and expect him to even point a sword at Midna. They just couldn't. He spoke with determination and was utterly resolute, and part of Auru was almost assured that with the way he spoke, Link _would_ find a way to tear that darkness from the princess and keep her heart beating at the same time.

The Sages didn't dare challenge him.

"If you don't mind, I think we should be heading back." Link motioned to Auru coldly, and the aged man nodded hesitantly in response. "I need to see her, and we're going to talk to Princess Zelda about this. Because if you Sages don't have any other solutions, then at least she might."

The Sages just looked at one another. None of them shook their heads or nodded at Link.

He wasn't about to listen them. Not now. He had done everything for this world and the safety of its people, and he asked for nothing in return.

But regardless, there was a silent debt. Someone somewhere owed him. They couldn't do this to him _or_ her, and he wouldn't let them. He might be the Hero, but he was also the Beast, and at this rate, he would choose to be the Beast over the Hero any day - destiny be damned.


	19. Holes In The Heart

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_I'm one man to make a difference,_  
_I'm one soul all persistence,_  
_in a dark world just trying to make things right._  
_Choices we weren't given, any heroes._  
_And our decision is to stand up and fight for ourselves_

Chapter Nineteen  
_Holes in the Heart_

_

* * *

_

The journey out of the Gerudo Desert was accompanied by awkward silence; something that felt like it could be sliced with a knife. The silent rage oozing from the Hero that stiffly walked beside Auru was something so easy to detect, like he could smell it and taste it, and it had him uncomfortable. The older man had not uttered a word since their departure from where the Sages rested. He figured it was definitely the wisest thing he could do at the very moment. Link was known to be a man of very few words but his expressions had always said everything; the flat line his pressed lips made, the anxious clenching of his scarred fists, the hardness of his eyes, and the way his nostrils flared as he breathed.

Auru knew Link was pissed beyond reason with him and he understood that perfectly. The older man had suggested to point the blade against one of his dearest friends and use it against her, and by that resulting, her death. And possibly the salvation of what was left of Hyrule.

Auru did not want to shed innocent blood - but he was also hardened enough from the years to know that sometimes, there weren't any other different ways. He didn't know for sure if there was a possibility of ripping the darkness inside of the princess and keeping her heart beating at the same time. He supported the effort to find such a possibility, however, but was still persistent about being prepared.

Because if worst came to worst, and the beast inside consumed her from the inside, then Link would have the best bet of burying it six feet under in complete destruction. But if this beast continued to wear her face, smile with her lips, and speak to him with her voice, then there would be a problem. There would be a _big_ problem, because there was a good chance that Link might not even stand a chance. Auru was aware of the sacrifices Link had made to save Hyrule before; he left his home and risked his very own life and asked nothing in return. To ask him to save Hyrule again, at the cost of the woman who helped him throughout his journey the first time and kept him alive, was absolutely and entirely ludicrous.

Even Auru would say it wasn't right, it wasn't fair, and it was all rotten.

Once their feet landed on the lands of Hyrule field, Auru noticed the increased anxiety of the Ordonion; the way he bit his lip and how his pace increased. He had still said nothing to break the silence, so Auru decided to pipe up and be bold.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Those words had the ability to make Link stumble and almost trip. His balance was swiftly regained, however, and his initial response was a rough snort. _You're in love with her, aren't you?_ was probably the most ridiculous and stupid question that anyone could ever ask him, and he wanted to verbally point out that it was a highly inappropriate and personal question. But even though that, yes, it was potentially inappropriate and extremely personal, the question held relevance to their grand dilemma.

He could have responded with a yes, and he could have responded with a no. But Link didn't even respond at all with a succinct answer and he knew very well what his silence implied. It only took a couple of brief moments passing by for Auru to realize the implications, and he gave a sage nod.

"It looks like she's unwilling to use any sort of magic," Auru began, well-aware that Link would utter something coherent when he felt the need to. "Smart thing to do, really, but dangerous. She's got no weapons, and she's using Telma's opportunity of employment to save up enough rupees to get some sort of weaponry."

He was greeted with more silence. Peering briefly at him, Auru noted the serious furrow of his brows; a sign of contemplation with a hint of befuddlement. "She's as stubborn as you and Princess Zelda described-and beyond proud. Refused to even stay at the castle and wait for you two to arrive. She's still got spunk, that one, even with the hell she knows she has to go through."

That sounded like Midna to the bone. A rousing temper to match the intense color of her hair and a spitfire tongue, and the refusal to directly ask for aid. Link recalled as plain as day that she had initially tried to manipulate him to do things for her to help her cause; the little pain in the ass imp was apparently too stubborn and too proud to ask directly at the time. And that little habit seemed to have remained, even throughout all this time.

Letting out an air of a sigh, Link wiped his brow. "I'm going ahead," he finally said with a string of words, not even bothering to glimpse at Auru as he spoke. Impatience had gotten to him and he wanted to see her _now_. Walking and talking wasn't going to get him there any faster. "You're going to meet us at Telma's." It sounded like he was giving Auru an order, and this made the elderly man's brows rise skeptically. "And you're going to explain to me, exactly, what your relationship with the sages is."

Auru's chapped lips couldn't help but form a bit of a grin. Despite being tangled up in the mess of the Sages' explanation of the shattered mirror, Link managed to still continue to take note about his air of familiarity around the ethereal beings. The Sages had not treated him as an intruder, but more of a frequent visitor who didn't even have to knock.

"I suppose," was all Auru said.

Link seemed satisfied with that answer. His feet quickened in pace, increasing his stride to a jog, then a full-blown sprint back to Hyrule's Castle Town. He didn't even look behind him to look at Auru. He knew the old man would be fine, and if there was any danger rising from the soil of the field, he could handle himself without a worry in the world. Link's main focus was getting back and as he ran, he scarcely stopped for air, even if his heart would thump against his cage of bones frantically and even though sweat dripped from his brow and to his nose.

His pace was interrupted when he was re-introduced to the busy crowds of Castle Town. He pushed through the throng of people carefully, but genuine courtesy was lacked, and once he reached the turn to Telma's bar, he practically leaped down the steps. His leather boots skid against the rubble and he halted to a stop, letting the gasps of air that had been so desperate to come out escape his mouth.

As he wiped the sweat off his face, he could hear an excited crowd from the other side of the door. It sounded like Telma was having a busy day. Opening the door, however, he noted that most of the tables were empty; a few occupied at least one lonesome one, and then the crowd he had so clearly heard was wrapped around the bar top.

And then, Auru's words echoed through his head.

…_and she's using Telma's opportunity of employment to save up enough rupees…_

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Link breathed out in aggravated disbelief. He could have sworn he told Midna to never, _ever_ become a bartender. Back then, he wasn't all too worried about that - the likelihood of her standing behind a bar top and handing out intoxicating drinks seemed slim. But as he squeezed himself through the crowd of men and Hyrulean soldiers, his suspicion was confirmed when his eyes laid on the blue-skinned woman, dressed in the garb he memorized all too well but with tarnishes that he knew were never there.

Her hair was set free from its usual fashion and she looked mildly aggravated, a scowl adorning her face. "Don't get snappy at me for the prices. If you've got problems about it? Take it to her." Her thumb jabbed at the direction of the bar's true bartender - the voluptuous and flirtatious Telma - who was letting out a hearty laugh and holding her gut from the scenario. "But before you do that, cough up the rupees, you twit."

She hadn't seemed to take notice of him. Link found that mildly annoying. The crowd was here for her; he knew Telma spoke the truth when she said that if Midna had ever decided to come a bartender, her appearance alone would attract the curious and the easily aroused.

He felt something large and hard bump into him. "Brother? Is that really you?" The familiarity of Reer's voice flooded his pointed ears and Link let out a sigh of relief, turning slightly to face the Goron. Reer blinked down at him. "Welcome back. Here for your usual?"

Link shook his head quickly. "More like here to knock some sense into _her_." He motioned over to the exiled Princess behind the counter. "Have you heard anything?"

"Just that she needs some weapons," Reer replied with a shrug, drying his hands off with a rag. "Referred her to some of my Brothers selling things around Castle Town. They'll probably give her a good deal. She's doing good for business, though."

"She's _excellent_ for business, I must say!" It was Telma whom intruded the conversation with a sassy wink and a cheeky grin. "Welcome back in town, Hero. We were wondering when you were coming back. Like my new bartender?"

The look Link gave her clearly illustrated that no, he did not like her new bartender, and that he was very much _not amused_ by the situation.

Telma stuck her lower lip out into a childish pout. "Lighten up, honey. You need to talk to the girl, don't you?"

Link nodded, his face remaining the same.

Telma tried her hardest not to sigh. _I knew he wouldn't be happy._ "Alright, sugar, hold on, okay?" After gently squeezing his shoulder, she snuck behind the bar top and approached Midna, pulling her to the side. Whatever words were exchanged were drowned out by the sounds of the chattering customers, but Link could guess what was said when he noticed her tense. He saw her turn her head to scan the crowd quickly, and she stopped her search right when her eyes landed on him.

There was a feeling of relief escaping his body and he wasn't sure why. But whatever irritation he had harbored throughout the past few hours had dissipated and he motioned her over with a single hand, offering a bit of a sheepish smile.

It had been awhile.

* * *

"It's good you're not here for a drink," Midna said with a crooked smile after lighting all the candles and blowing out the match. "My Fused Shadows still smell of vomit, thank you very much."

A private discussion was very much needed, both of them knew, and Telma had offered her own private home above the bar. It was a cozy space with polished maple wood floors and gypsy influenced décor, and the fire Midna provided to the candles illuminated the living room for sight.

Link gave her a tired look. "I can't believe you were bartending. Didn't I tell you to never do that?"

"And when, pray tell, do I ever listen to you?" she retorted with a soft snort, challenging him with a raise of her brow. She had a point. She seldom listened to him. His eyes formed a weak glare, but he said nothing in return. "Anyway, heard you were on business with the _princess_," she continued, giving a vague bitter emphasis on the title. "They didn't know when you were coming back, but you showed up pretty quickly. And you're not all that surprised to see me, either."

Midna was now watching him with suspicion and he pretended to ignore it, sitting down on the comfortable cushions. "Princess Zelda woke up with an omen and a bad feeling something happened to the mirror. I showed up, had a conversation with the Sages, and they filled me in."

The way he said it sounded so casually and it had Midna uncomfortable. She was aware of the frustrations and aggravations and resentment lingering between them - it had never left. And if there was always one thing that Link had always hated was her lack of communication.

Most importantly, her lack of communication with _him._

She knew exactly what the Sages had told him; it was everything she had hidden from him from the very beginning.

She had to wonder - if she had told him from the start, would things be different?

A quick, bitter laugh fled her lips and her lids closed over her eyes for just a moment. "I messed up."

_I messed up._ It was the understatement of the century. She messed up by never saying anything, by hiding everything important that he needed to know in secrecy. There was part of him that knew that he had every single right to be livid at her, for him to be absolutely _seething_, but bringing that part out of him to surface proved to be difficult. It was hard for him to even know if it was there.

Her eyes opened halfway and she pulled the dark fabric hiding the triangular imprint, and she traced the symbol with her fingers in tender bitterness. "My mother convinced me we could fix this ourselves; that she would be able to extract it from me. Cleanse me. Or something."

The image of Persephone - the woman that had given Midna the majority of her appearance - came to mind. "If there's one thing I've learned from all this, is to never let your mother convince any of us about…anything." His words made her giggle without a trace of mirth.

She hesitantly sat down on the space beside him, almost afraid that he would get up and move away from her, and she was surprised when he stayed exactly where he was - next to her and listening intently. Midna leaned forward and let her elbows rest on top of her thighs, clenched her hands together, and pressed her forehead against them. "It was like he was feeding off the magic I used; I can't really describe it. It was becoming an addiction, something that I kept doing, and the more I used my power, the easier he would surface."

Link couldn't think of a moment he saw her look so defeated, like she was sucked dry from the inside. Not even when Zant laid a giant smack down and messed her up good after their triumph of the Lakebed Temple. He could lecture her how she should have said something, to him _or_ the Princess Zelda, but he was aware that _she_ knew that. Midna was completely in the know of how she messed up and she didn't need him rubbing it in her nose.

"At first, it was just small black outs…I could never remember what he did with my body." There was a rising disgust in her voice. "And then, when I least expected it, he got me, Link."

However he got her, she must have been referring to what was the event that resulted in her exile. "What happened?"

"I killed Minerva," she responded simply. Whatever Link was expecting, it sure as hell wasn't that, and he wasn't expecting what was coming after that either. "I apparently killed an entire poor and innocent village, too. And I don't even remember doing it."

If there was one thing Midna was a professional at, it was explaining something like that without even shedding a single tear. Her eyes were dry but her words were said with an overflow of guilt, and sometimes, just sometimes, he heard the cracks in her voice of some sort of indescribable desperation. Explaining to him the event was something she wasn't proud of; recalling the smell of blood and the stench of scorched corpses made her taste vile in her mouth. It made her feel disgusting and worthless and like a complete failure.

All those lives lost, just because she was stubborn and foolish and was assured she and her mother would be able to take care of the situation by themselves.

"They chose to exile me instead of killing me," she finished. Link had said nothing throughout the story. "They think you'd be able to help me. Even though it's stupid."

Link tensed beside her. "You think I won't be able to _help_ you?"

"Does it matter?" she retorted and pulled away from her hands, glowering at him. "You should _kill_ me. I'd do it myself, but the bastard won't even let me."

"You've _tried?_"

"Don't look so surprised, Link." That's exactly how he looked - that, and undeniably hurt. Midna huffed and stood up, raking her fingers into her hair nervously. "Before I end up hurting, or hell, even kill anyone else."

Link stayed where he was on the sofa; paralyzed and still processing just what the hell she was telling him. It was the advice of the Sages, it was what Auru had told him to prepare himself for, and she was echoing the same exact _thing_. Link dug his fingers into the cushion. "You can't ask me that, Midna. Especially since we haven't even looked for other ways of getting him out of you!"

"If you can't do it, then I'll just find someone else, like Zel-"

"_Shut up_," Link interrupted, quiet infuriation leaking into his voice. It succeeded in making her be quiet. "I don't want to hear you talk like that, okay? We're _going_ to find a way, Midna. I _promise._ I don't know-I'll look anywhere, I'll go wherever, I'll do favors and jobs like we did before, but _no one's_ going to kill you."

He sounded so sure of himself. He sounded so sure that there _was_ a different way. He rose to his feet and wrapped his fingers around her small wrists gingerly. "I won't let them."

Midna couldn't muster up the fight in her to argue back; it was all burned out. She had none of it right now. She had messed up, pushed him away, kept everything from him - and here he was, holding her wrists and assuring her that she was going to live and that he wouldn't let anyone kill her.

"You're an idiot," was her brilliant retort. It was weak and quiet, and it made him smile sadly. Their foreheads pressed together and her eyes closed. "A big, stupid idiot."

He always had to play the big damn hero, didn't he?

Link chuckled. "Yeah. You never let me forget that, do you?"

Whatever had gone on between them wasn't entirely fixed; it was still damaged and cracked, but all that nonsense didn't matter. They had larger worries to fuss and yell at each other about. He knew it wasn't her fault, even though she felt as if she was personally responsible - as if it were her thoughts and ideas that drove her own very hands to shed the blood of her people, to kill one of her closest friends.

It was a lot to work on, a lot to do. And Link wasn't about to give up on her, and he damn well was sure that Princess Zelda wouldn't, either. He would try every damn thing and then some to find a way. He promised her he would get her out of this alive.

If he could save two entire worlds, then why couldn't he save her?


	20. Breaking Defenses

**Half Sick of Shadows**

_Brush back my tears, and he said,  
"Girl, we have to soldier on.  
Yes, girl, even when we don't feel strong."_

Chapter Twenty  
_Breaking Defenses_

"I thought you were just staying here for a nap, not for the entire _night_," Midna hissed as she stormed back into the bar. Link followed in tow, his steps fast and quick to keep up with the raging princess. The crowd in the bar was minimal; there was only one occupied table in the far corner and the bar top was empty except for Telma and Reer, who _were_ having a conversation until Midna and Link barged back in. "You are _not _spending the night."

They did end up taking a bit of a cat nap, and when they awoke they engaged themselves in another conversation. That conversation eventually led to the fact that Link was planning to spend the night. And while naps were one thing, and they had definitely shared a bed together before overnight, the Twilight Princess felt some sort of whiplash she didn't like. He _was_the one that said 'this' wouldn't work.

"Telma _said _it was okay," he muttered like a scolded little boy. Midna sat on a barstool and Link sat down next to her, and Telma watched them warily. "Right, Telma?"

The way Midna was looking at the older woman with a slender eyebrow raised was almost menacing. Telma gulped, and mentally cursed herself for indirectly getting involved in a lover's spat. "…right. But I did ask him if he asked you about it, okay, honey?" She waved her arms around defensively. "I was just gonna leave that up to _you _two."

"I'm completely baffled on how you just assumed it was perfectly _okay_." Midna scowled at him, holding her head.

Link didn't understand what the big deal was. "What? We just took a nap, Midna. What's the difference?"

"Stop taking advantage of my supposed vulnerability, damnit."

"I am _not _taking advantage of you, and you're being a brat." Midna looked like she wanted to smack him and Link glared at he defiantly. "We used to sleep together all the time."

Telma and Reer looked absolutely wide-eyed.

"Link, you're an idiot."

Link threw his arms up into the air. "Okay, you just completely lost me."

Midna didn't like that fact to be broadcasted in a public location, but this was Link, and he was oblivious to the fact that sometimes, just sometimes, he lacked something helpful called _tact_. She groaned in exasperation and kicked him in the shin. "Yes, we were like that, _before you spoke to my mother behind my back._"

"Correction: your _mother_ spoke to me behind _your_ back," Link pointed out. But she had a point. He _was_the one that made the decision to completely tear apart what they could have had before they even had it. And part of him didn't notice how they were beginning to slip into their usual routine again – the routine they were used to before everything became damned to hell. It was the same dangerous routine that helped them tear each other apart.

Midna rolled her eyes. "Don't start semantics with me. I'm a politician. I _know _semantics. I pretty much eat them for breakfast."

Right after that, Telma slammed down to glasses filled with ice and anonymous alcohol before them. The sound startled them both and they stared at her, confused and almost frightened. They didn't even notice her making any drinks during their quarrel.

"I think you two need this more than some of the customers here," Telma told them sagely and stepped back.

Both of them stared at the drinks in front of them, glimpsed at each other, and huffed simultaneously.

"I hate you," Midna seethed and lifted the glass to her lips, taking what seemed to be a large gulp.

Link snorted and took a gulp of his. "No, you don't.

"Shut up, Link."

Telma blinked. "Do you two do this often?"

The Hero shrugged. "She usually starts it."

"Oh, you are _so_full of it!" Midna nailed another kick to his shin, but he seemed completely unbothered by it and just continued drinking with a bored look.

"I can hear all the yelling from outside the bar, you know." It was a new voice and new footsteps heard behind them. Link and Midna glanced over their shoulders and were greeting with Rusl's sly grin and Auru's serious face. Link looked sheepish now, but Midna still looked downright irritated, and Rusl chuckled. "Had to drop Ilia back off to Ordon and tell Uli where I was going – sorry for the delay, folks."

Telma motioned them to come closer with a grin. "Come on you two, sit. I'll make you a round."

"Actually, we just received a letter back from the Princess Zelda," Rusl piped up informatively. They took seats beside Midna and Link and Rusl pulled a rolled up parchment from his tunic. "We were assaulted by the post man before we came here. He travels quickly."

"Did he get pants yet?" Midna questioned, sipping her drink.

"Nope," Link answered boredly.

"I wasn't talking to you. I told you to shut up, didn't I?"

Link was so frustrated and at loss for words that he made frantic hand motions to express how aggravated he was. Midna just ignored him.

Auru pretended like he heard nothing. Rusl awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and waited until Link and Midna stopped glaring daggers at each other before continuing. "She's coming back tomorrow, the Princess Zelda. She's tying up ties with the Goron Tribe quickly. She should make it in the afternoon with Ashei and Shad."

"And she knows I'm here," Midna assumed, crossing her arms.

Auru nodded, taking over the explanation. "I wrote that in there, yes, and mentioned your urgency in contacting her. Everything else, however, we'll leave to you two to explain."

"If these two can explain it without going down each other's throats," Telma said with a whistle. Reer shook his head from where he was and just wandered off to collect dirty dishes from a table. "Maybe you two need some time to cool off and, I don't know, talk?"

Midna looked annoyed. "We talk."

"I talk. She doesn't. And when she does, she tells me how stupid I am." He felt Midna kick him in the shin for what felt like the millionth time in the span of a half hour. "Or she hits me. See?"

"You two act like a married couple; domestic abuse included," grunted Auru. "But we _do _have other things to be worried about."

After their nap, Link _did_inform Midna of Auru's involvement with the conversation with the Sages, and they both mutually agreed that it was odd. Even Auru admitted there was a story behind him and the Sages that he would tell at another point in time, so it wasn't as if he was trying hard to keep it a secret. Rusl was the only one out of the loop, so he looked at Telma and Auru silently, but questioningly.

The only person she had ever mentioned anything to was Link, but she knew – and felt – that these people who acted so kindly towards her knew what was going on, and ignoring their eyes on her was impossible. It felt like there was the weight of a heavy stone on her shoulders. Her and Link remained silent at Auru's statement, and so did everyone else – but it made them feel awkward.

"I should go." Link broke the silence with a sigh and stood. His glass was entirely empty. The sudden announcement seemed abrupt to Midna, and she glanced up at him in surprise. They did not meet eyes. "I guess I'll come back tomorrow with Princess Zelda."

He said his goodbyes respectfully, but Midna said close to nothing. She didn't think he would leave so early, even though she _was_ the one that insisted in him _not _spending the night. And here, she found herself not wanting him to leave. She didn't like the indecisiveness on each end – it was irritating and so damn confusing.

He at least gave Midna a weak smile, despite all the previous kicking and yelling, and squeezed her shoulder gently before walking out of the bar.

Midna took another sip of her drink and closed her eyes.

She didn't go after him.

* * *

Zelda returned to the Castle Town the next day right on time, escorted by Ashei and Shad, and greeted by Link and Auru. She was relatively calm, but there was a hidden feel of panic behind her serene façade, and when Shad and Ashei went off to meet Rusl and Telma at the bar, Link and Auru took the opportunity to summarize what had happened during her absence.

"The Sages suggested _what_?" Zelda whispered, her blue eyes slowly slanting into a glare. "That's absurd. I agree with Link; there must be a different way to proceed with this."

"All I'm sayin' is that we better be ready if there _isn't_," Auru grunted irritably. "I have hope that there's something out there that can help us without losing the life of an innocent. But we must always prepare for the worst – and I don't think I'm being unreasonable with this."

And he wasn't, which Zelda had to quietly acknowledge. She spared a glance at Link whose face had hardened the second she asked about what happened with Midna, and what the Sages had told him. She could only imagine what he felt – this situation was nothing they had expected. They weren't prepared for this, even though Zelda felt something was coming. She still couldn't believe it was all _this_.

So, neither Link or Zelda said anything to Auru's statement. They knew that he had a point whether they liked it or not. And in Link's case, he absolutely and positively despised it.

"Why don't you get Midna and meet me in my library?" Zelda suggested to Link. He nodded in response. "The three of us can discuss this in private." She wanted the entire story told to her, including the nitty-gritty details that she knew only Midna could tell. And she hoped that the wisdom bestowed to her by Nayru was enough to help with _something_.

Ashei and Shad were briefed by Auru of the recent happenings in hushed, quiet voices as they unloaded all the miscellenous items from the carriage. Zelda left them behind to quickly enter her castle domain and opened the doors of the library for Link and Midna's arrival. When she entered the large chamber, aligned with shelves yards tall and the desk she found herself at almost every day, she closed her light eyes and took in a deep breath.

Princess Zelda did not panic. When she received the letter from the postman, she was heavily alarmed and concerned. And finding out the entire gist of what went on gave her a sick, twisting feeling in her stomach that was too stubborn and too strong to leave. She barely closed the doors behind her and her feet dragged against the carpeted floor, up until she sat behind her desk. Everything was in the same spot she had left it; untouched and gathering specks of dust.

She was alone with her thoughts for longer than she expected, and she was almost tempted to get up and find Link and Midna herself – they were taking longer than she thought they would, and part of her assumed that Midna's hardhead had been a factor. But it wasn't long before she heard footsteps and voices that felt all too familiar in her pointed ears. The doors were pushed opened hesitantly and she saw the familiar green tip of Link's hat poked through, and Zelda smiled tiredly.

"Come in. I'm here."

Once the large doors of the library were opened, Link and Midna entered. Link looked the same as usual – hardly anything ever changed. Midna wore what she always wore, but Zelda immediately noticed the tattered edges and the slashes adorning the black fabric of her sarong. She didn't look as refined as she usually did, and the hair that was usually confined by an eccentric hair piece was set free. It was brushed through, but she could tell Midna had grown careless with it. And even though Midna walked proud, tall, and unwavering with a face that seldom flashed anything that would deem her weak, there was something tired about her eyes; something almost defeated and worn.

Zelda's pink lips curved into a frown. Her chair slid back and she rose to her feet. "It looks like you could use more sleep, Midna."

"Gee, it's good to see you too, Zelda," Midna remarked sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. "You look _great_ by the way. Have you been out tanning? No? Oh, well, maybe I _do _need more sleep."

Zelda winced a little and Link found himself giving Midna a slight glare for her upfront rudeness. "I didn't mean it rudely. You _are_the type that is too stubborn to take a break. And a break is something that you might need the most right now, despite the dire circumstances."

Midna's shoulders shrugged as if she had no care in the world and swiftly sat down with a comfortable flop, crossing her leg over the other. Link followed mutely but remained on his feet, standing beside Midna. "You had our little Hero here fetch me. You know what's up. I'm assuming you want to add your two cents to the entire thing. Your input might actually helpful, since wisdom is your thing and all."

Link eyed her. "You _could _be nicer."

"You _could _be quieter," the Twilight woman snapped back.

Zelda closed her eyes again. Her lips parted and she breathed in a deep breath, and then released it slowly. These were not the times for quarreling. And she was fairly aware that Midna was being undeniably rude with a splash of unreasonable bitterness in the words she spoke. But Zelda was good at sympathasizing – Midna had been through unfortunate circumstances, away from everything shelled her home, with something - _someone_- eating her up from the inside. If she were in Midna's situation, she'd be pretty damn cranky, too.

Zelda sat down again, and once her pretty blue eyes opened, she focused them on the princess sitting across from her. "I want you to tell me, in your own words, what happened."

Midna didn't like the sound of that. "Didn't they already tell you?"

"I want all the details, Midna. _Please_." Zelda was pleading. "I want to help."

"Start a club," she replied icily. "Everyone's got a bleeding heart these days."

Link had a hard time believing those words were coming out of her mouth. Midna was known to be harsh, but never harsh to someone who genuinely cared enough to help her. "You can't do this by yourself," he added, deciding to stop being quiet and aid Zelda. "I know you wish you could, and I know that you hate not being able to handle this on your own, but listen to us. And if you don't listen to me, at least listen to _her_."

It looked like Midna wanted to say something not-so-nice to him, but she was strong enough to refrain and hold her tongue. She could still feel Zelda's guilty eyes on her, and Link's stubborn but hopeful stare. He had a point. She often did not even admit that Link _ever_had a point – she was used to being the one talking and arguing and settling things with words, not him. He was always obedient and quiet next to her.

She let out a small, disgruntled sound and clenched her eyes shut, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, okay?" she breathed out quietly in a whisper, sinking into the chair a little. "I guess I—I guess I do need more sleep. I don't know. Can I—may I- excuse myself?" Her lids slowly fluttered opened. "I need some air. Don't feel too good."

Zelda and Link automatically both became alarmed – they knew now that whatever 'illness' Midna had expressed in having was no where near natural. It was dangerous to her and potentially, to everyone else around her. "We can take you to a bedroom if you feel weak, and we can try bringing you water or tea—"

Midna quickly silenced her with a wave of her hand and a pained look. "I need air, Zelda. Not the smell of the cleaning products your maids use in the guest room."

"I can take you to the courtyard," Link suggested quietly and gingerly wrapped his fingers around her arm, carefully helping her to her feet as if he were treating a glass mannequin. "I won't let you go by yourself, but I promise to shut up, if anything?" Midna almost wanted to laugh, but he was actually _serious_, and the familiar feeling of guilt crept through her insides all over again.

Princess Zelda was unsure if she should stay or go, but she decided to stay – she did not want her presence to rile up Midna, and if anyone could calm her down, it would be the person she was the closest to. Not her. "Go on, you two, and take your time. And if you wish to come see me again, you know where to find me." Despite her moroseness, she forced a smile at the two. She wanted to genuinely help. She wanted to go with them – Midna was her friend and she could almost feel white hairs growing from her scalp from all the silent stress and worry that boiled up in her. She felt useless in her library, and even though she considered herself to be close to Midna, Zelda was not the right person to tame her wild flames.

Zelda watched them exit her library, Link still clutching Midna's arm as if he were scared she would collapse without him, and she bit her lip. She pinched the tip of a gloved finger and tugged the fabric off her arm, and she held her marked hand. "I have you for a reason, don't I?" she said quietly, speaking to no one but herself and the three triangles connected on her flesh. "This might be the most important time that I need you – so please, _please_don't fail me." Her sorcery was no where near as powerful as Midna's, and her skill with the sword was unmatched to Link's incredible talent.

Maybe this time she could really help them without being the princess trapped in her tower, waiting to be saved.

* * *

Her balance had become unstable and she began stumbling clumsily as they walked through the corridors of the castle, so Link had no choice but to swing an arm around her waist and the other under her knees and lift her off her feet. Of course, he was met with protest, but he was genuinely surprised how short the protest lasted. He found a secluded area in the courtyard away from the gardeners, on a bench under a tree that provided them plentiful shading, and he set her down first. She _looked_tired. Her eyes were fighting just to stay open and he was afraid she would faint on him right then and there.

"Do you know what triggers it?" Link asked carefully. He sat down beside her quickly; she physically needed something to lean on, and he seemed like a good candidate for a leaning post. He watched her sigh and bury her face into her hands tiredly. "I mean, you getting sick. You didn't use any magic, did you?"

"I didn't use magic, no," she said, her words a little muffled by her hands. "It…just happens now and then. Unexpectedly. It's just…the more magic I use, the more of a gateway it gives it—him—whatever—to show up." She rubbed her face a little before pulling her hands away and let out a bitter laugh. "Damn, I didn't even mean to snap at Zelda like that, either."

"She didn't take it personally."

"She's good like that." Midna fidgeted. "Is-is it okay if I lay down?"

All she saw Link do was nod. He didn't even get a chance to ask her if she wanted the bench to herself, because she just laid down on her side and found his lap to be a comfortable pillow. He wasn't sure what to even think about themselves sometimes – they found themselves always intimately comfortable around each other, but often arguing and fighting about the same damn thing over and over.

But she looked exhausted. It had him worried.

"It doesn't hurt to let us help you, you know."

Midna closed her eyes. "I know."

"You say that," Link began and raised an eyebrow. "But you completely freak out when we try to, Midna. And you never listen to what we have to say."

"Enlighten me, you jerk." Her words were _supposed _to sound harsh, and they probably would have sounded rude and snappy any other day, but she sounded tired and drained.

Link sighed. His fingers wove themselves into the fire-colored strands of her hair tenderly – he knew how to keep her subdued, but it was never something he would openly boast about. "You want my opinion _now_? Fine. I think you should drop the bartending job and let me help yo rupee-wise, and if you feel so strongly about it, I'll let you pay me back afterwards. You can't use magic, so we get you weapons – whether I buy you some or let you use mine – and train you as we go. We're going to be looking for other ways of helping you, so chances are, we're going to be running around Hyrule _again_.The first trip is to get the Master Sword again." He paused. "I'm not going to use it against you, or anything – it's just handy. Plus, you could use my normal one."

"For someone who hardly ever has anything to say, you babble a lot."

He frowned. "But, you have to admit, I have some pretty good ideas. And they're reasonable, and they _would _work, if you stopped being so proud for once and helped me."

His ideas were pretty good. And they _were_ reasonable. "I'm not going to just let you roll over and rot. You can be cranky and you can yell at me all you want – as _long_ as we're doing something that's gonna help you, okay?" He didn't like seeing her so weak. It almost reminded him of the time when she was cursed in that little imp form, and she was so frail and oddly colored and it sounded like she was so sure she was going to die. He had to admit, it took him awhile for him to actually _like_Midna on a friendly level, but he always knew that she had good intentions. Link always was a good judge of character, and Midna was just one of those characters that you had to actually know to understand. And even if she got on his nerves more than she ever did now, back then, it still scared him to see her like that.

And it scared him more, especially now. Things were supposed to be over. Things were supposed to go back to _normal_. They were supposed to win. But it wasn't over yet.

She remained silent and he was beginning to think that she had dozed off. His fingers traveled through her hair soothingly and her fingers clung to his knee, but she remained unmoving.

"I guess I'm just a little scared," he heard her say in a small voice after several moments. He blinked down at her curiosly and her eyes fluttered open, but just barely. "I killed Minerva, Link. I know it wasn't me in mind, but it was still my face. Those were still my hands. And her blood was all over them. What if the next thing I know, it's Zelda's blood on my hands?" She snorted lightly. "Or, worse – what if it's yours?"

He wanted to forget about that little fact. And he almost did.

"I don't want anymore bloodshed. Not unless it's mine." Link narrowed his eyes and watched her slowly rise and sit up again. "If he does take over me again, and if I'm around you – you _have _to do it, Link. It's either me or someone innocent who doesn't deserve to die."

"You can't say that, Midna. You act like—like you're giving _up_."

Midna rolled her eyes. "Won't lie – it's almost tempting. But, eh, you probably wouldn't let me in the first place, right?" She tried to smirk deviously. She was reclaiming herself. "I don't want to die, either, so we'll go by your hunch and hope to hell that there's something out there that could help me. But you also have to be strong enough for me to do the job if we're in a situation that calls for that decision."

Link wasn't sure how he should even react. He didn't know if he could ever be strong enough to make that decision. It was so easy for her to say it – she wouldn't be the one living with the regret, or the guilt.

"Take me back to Zelda?" she asked him and nudged him gently with her elbow. He still remained wordless and watched her with cautious eyes that she tried to disregard. "I _do_have to tell her all the little details she wants to know, and I want to do it before I pass out, okay?" Midna smiled at him cheekily.

"You're delirious," Link pointed out as a fact.

"You would be too if you had Ganondork having a party in your head."

"…Ganondork?"

"I don't know. Isn't it him, but not him, at the same time? I thought giving him a different name might be helpful." Midna shrugged. "Oh, well."

"I don't even know if I should take you back to Princess Zelda like this," Link expressed worriedly. "Maybe you should rest before you tell her everything."

Midna smiled at him weakly. "I missed us arguing."

"We're arguing?"

"We _always_argue, Link. It's a good thing."

Link took off his gloves and gauntlets and held his hand against her forehead, furrowing his brows in concern. "You're getting feverish, Midna. What did Anhur do when you got like this?"

She shrugged.

Link sighed. "You're a big help."

"It'll pass," she said and closed her eyes. "It…always does."

He didn't like it. He didn't like that he couldn't deal with something tangible and in front of him – instead, he had to watch her suffer from something he couldn't see, hear, or feel. It made him feel like he couldn't do anything for her at all.

"We can stay here until it does," he insisted. She eventually nodded her head in agreement and he allowed her to lean against him again; this time her head resting on his shoulder.

He wanted to apologize to her and tell her that he wished he could help her right now, _somehow_, but it would be futile. She fell victim to a depth of unconsciousness, and he wished she didn't have to go there alone.

He didn't want Midna to be alone with _him_.

* * *

_"Does he know I'm watching?" he asked her, his tone carrying genuine curiosity. But anything genuine from him was still sickening to her._

_She was still shackled and bound, but she found the strength to pull at her chains more vigorously, even if she knew the metal chains that kept her trapped were connected to him. "I'm sure he gets the idea. He kicked your ass once, and he'll do it again."_

_He couldn't help but bark out a laugh. "Yes, and look what happened. I hardly call that defeat, princess." She couldn't see much in the darkness besides his bright white teeth against dark skin, and the glow of malice in his eyes. He bumped his large nose against hers and she scowled, jerking her head back sharply. "You could do better than rely on a farm boy."_

_"You could do better than getting your ass kicked by a farm boy," Midna added with an innocent bat of her lashes. "Oh, wait, you can't. Silly me."_

_She couldn't see his teeth anymore. It was just his eyes that were slowly narrowing at her, and Midna knew that she was immobile again. She was all too familiar with the unwelcomed feel of paralysis._

_Midna struck an angry chord in him._

_"I will end up killing him, you do realize." His voice was eerily calm, and she felt – but couldn't see – his large, calloused hand lightly travel up her side, stroke the flesh of her arm, and then move to the center of her neck. "It works out perfectly, in such a tragic way. We both know that he can't kill you. Even with me deep, deep inside you, Midna." He brushed her hair over her shoulder and slid his fingers to the back of her neck, and she saw him grin when she felt herself involuntarily shudder._

_"The hero before him completed his story by saving the princess, if you've ever heard the legend. I remember it as if it were yesterday." Midna clenched her eyes shut and tried to will herself awake as hard as she could, but the more she tried, the more she could feel his skin against her as if it wasn't a dream, and as if he was real blood and flesh. "But you're going to be the princess the hero will _never_ save. I promise you."_


End file.
